Sunshine
by bonbonpich
Summary: *Ch5 Updated* KuroKura. When Genei Ryodan massacred the Kuruta clan, Kurapika remembered Kuroro as his people's murderer. But the traumatized event left Kurapika with no memory, Kuroro planned to manipulate the boy into being one of the Spiders.
1. Ch 1 Endless Crimson

Hey, folks! I'm doing another KuroKura fic. For those who are waiting (anyone at all?) for the sequel to 'the sun also shines at night' let this fic be your treat first! I'm working on that one.

Here, you'll find younger version of them. Kuroro is 21 and Kurapika is 13, according to the original where the Spiders massacred the Kurutas. At the time, Kuroro only got 6 members in his gang.

**Title: Sunshine**

**By: BonBonPich**

**Disclaimer:** Hunter x Hunter belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi-sensei.

**Summary:**When Kuroro massacred the Kuruta clan, Kurapika remembered him as his people's murderer. But when Kurapika accidentally lost his memories, Kuroro planned to manipulate the boy into being one of the Spiders.

**Chapter 1 Endless Crimson**

A splash of blood, and endless circles of crimson, the very color of _their_ eyes. Nevertheless, the color of blood couldn't measure up to one of the seven most beautiful shades in the world, the flame-colored eyes. His only purpose was the eyes. So he disposed of everything else, their lives, and their home. The eyes would become his and his alone.

He felt a smile pull at his lips as he carefully stilled the freshly plucked out eyeballs between his fingers. His hands did a pitiless job in ending its owner's life, but they were gentle enough not to affect the eye's condition.

While he let himself be enthralled by it, a small muffled noise fell on his ears. It was from the small cupboard behind him, within the Kuruta's small abode. He thought for a second and recalled a woman carrying a boy into this house while the man was close behind, protecting them. And here they were, dead at his feet. So…it didn't take a genius to figure out the boy's whereabouts.

He advanced to the cupboard, but before he could reach it-

"Danchou."

Said Danchou turned, and found his comrade at the doorframe. It was the violet-haired young woman with expressionless eyes.

"Just came to let you know that we're done slaying in this area, now we're checking around for any hidden people. So you might as well decide which one you will only want the eyes, and which one you want the head as well?" The young woman noted.

"Sure, Machi," he responded. The thought fascinated him, he got to choose. Therefore, he withdrew his hand and backed away from the cupboard. He could finish whatever little life was in the cupboard later; first he wanted the eyes.

Kuroro Lucifer had only come for the eyeballs, beyond that, they weren't his concerns.

He stepped out of the house that he'd been in and scanned the vicinity. The Kuruta Village was torn down, shacks were burning, the smoke high rise into a grey sky. Bodies were littering on ground; dead, or more than halfway there.

On the other side of the village, loud scream after loud scream broke in now and then. By the terror screams, he could only surmise that his comrades were having fun tearing people's flesh apart. Kuroro didn't mean for it to be this _loud_. Not that he cared anyway. They were in Rukuso region which was completely isolated from the outside.

Four of his male comrades were assigned to kill; two of them had a knack to indulge in taking people's lives, by the cruelest ways possible. Machi assisted him with the eyeballs; another woman named Pakunoda was responsible to learn something about the Kuruta before they would be no more. Aside from the eyeball itself, Kuroro wanted to carry some information about it. Every piece of the precious treasure, he wanted their history as well.

…

By the time the sun started to descend towards the horizon, casting an orange and red hue over Rukuso region, every sound had faded. Not long, the dark clouds slowly moved over with a distant sound of thunderstorm.

Kuroro swatted his hands to get rid of the blood after plucking the last pair of eyeballs from the face of a dead body. He already had a good number of heads and eyes in his possession. When it seemed like everything was done, Kuroro realized he had one unfinished business.

He ordered to his comrades, "Wait here, I got a kid to finish off."

"Danchou, don't you want to let us hold that for you?" asked Pakunoda, his female comrade, pointing to the glass cylinder in his hands that contained the eyes.

"Or do you want us to finish off that kid instead?" suggested Feitan, another male comrade of his.

"No, I got it," the leader answered as he sauntered away.

When he entered that particular house, his brow furrowed a bit. The cupboard's door was broken and tattered. Inside, it was empty…and slightly bloodied. He recalled that the lock had looked pretty stable. He doubted if anyone could break it with their bare hands, let alone a kid.

He was already aware that the kid had escaped and most likely was somewhere in the house, under the broken pillars. He wasn't surprised when something suddenly approached him. But the shriek, he had never heard a shriek like that. It sounded so hysteric, so desperate, coming from a boy who was charging in on him with a weapon of twin swords.

As the boy emerged before his eyes, he had his hand ready to kill. To his surprise, his hand was blocked. Out of sheer astonishment, he drew himself back just to get a glimpse of his opponent. But the boy kept swinging the sharp edge at him blindly; missing the cylinder that contained his precious eyes by an inch. Kuroro was obliged to back off until they were out of the small house.

Out in the open area, the boy's eyes swept over his surroundings and he froze. Kuroro could kill him instantly with a wave of his hand, but there was something about this boy that he had to give it a moment to study him. Blond hair, pale skin, and of course, the flame-colored eyes.

Kuroro's eyes fell onto the boy's blood-caked hands and understood. After his mother had locked him up safely in the cupboard, he must have done everything to get out. _'He broke that lock with his bare hands?'_

The boy's eyes locked on the glass container in Kuroro's grasp.

Something inside of him told Kuroro not to kill the boy just yet, and it was proven right as he watched the boy's eyes progress from red to even redder. _'How is that even possible?'_He wondered. Not given room to think, he made a quick dodge when the boy charged right in again with a deafening cry.

He'd never heard such a scream from a young child like that. There were neither accusations nor strings of curses; this boy seemed to save every bit of his strength into one single assailment, aiming to kill his clan's murderer only. This boy fought differently from other Kurutas, he didn't try to protect anyone, including himself.

For the boy, there was no one left to protect.

When the boy slipped past, Kuroro felt a searing sensation across his cheek. With his free hand, he reached up to feel it. Blood. A scrape meant little to him, but the fact that the boy could draw blood from him was peculiar, given that there was only a handful of men who could do so.

He studied the boy, and saw the burning determination in the boy's eyes that spelled a promising death. To Kuroro Lucifer, who barely had passion for anything, was captivated by them.

With another deafening yell, the boy dove in again. This time, Kuroro sidestepped and delivered a blow, but the boy rejected being sent into oblivion. Kuroro was surprised, yet again. He'd expected the sight of someone not giving up, but not from a relatively small kid that someone could have mistaken for a girl.

He waited, giving a chance for the boy to drag himself up. The boy's eyes were no longer that of a waking person, they were disturbingly rapid. It must have been his will to avenge alone that kept animating his body.

Kuroro was impressed.

Raindrops began to fall, as if to woe for the dead. Kuroro decided it was about time he should leave the Rukuso region. Not wanting to prolong the ordeal any longer, he applied more pressure on this blow and made sure this time the boy would be sailed directly to the unconscious world.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Three minutes late, Danchou," complained the biggest guy with an Afro in Genei Ryodan, Ubogin.

"There was a complication," Kuroro responded, eyeing his six comrades: Pakunoda, Machi, Nobunaga, Ubogin, Franklin, and Feitan.

Machi spotted the bundle in Kuroro's left arm. She dipped her head towards it. "Is that the complication?"

Everyone else followed her gaze and found that in their leader's arm, was something that shouldn't be there.

"He's a souvenir," Kuroro replied flatly.

"A souvenir?" asked Pakunoda, the blond-haired woman with an aquiline nose. Her responsibility had been to learn something about Kuruta history.

"Yes, an _alive_ souvenir," then Kuroro switched off the track of conversation before anyone said anything, "We're leaving."

With that, they left the scene. No questions asked.

"What is he thinking?"

Kuroro heard that coming from Nobunaga. He passed a retrospective glance to the unconscious boy in his arms.

_'Yes, what exactly am I thinking?_'

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Back at their hideout, Ryuuseigai, an uncultivated junkyard city that filled with garbage. Nevertheless, it was their home. In a six floor worn down warehouse with a tower on the top of seventh floor, the members retreated to their respective rooms while some remained in the hallways, discussing mundane.

Meanwhile, Kuroro isolated the boy in the tower on the highest floor. He'd been standing and watching the boy asleep for a while, searching for an answer as to why he had brought the boy along.

A light movement of the object of his attention caught his eye. The boy was waking up. For the third time in a day, he was surprised. Even grown-up man took a good amount of time to regain consciousness, but this little boy-

_'So what to do?'_ The boy certainly would leap to attack him once he opened his eyes. Killing wasn't an option, he couldn't pinpoint exactly why. _'But what's the frigging point of carrying him back here if I were to kill him?'_ After that line of thought, Kuroro believed he wanted something from the boy, and he wouldn't get it if he ended the boy's life. Whichever, Kuroro was positive that leaving the scratch on his cheek would be as far as the boy could go. He had things fully under control now. So instead of making a first move, he waited. He would calculate and act accordingly later.

The boy's eyes opened, they took in the sight of the wall above him. Then slower than Kuroro had anticipated, the boy craned his neck to the side, and finally saw Kuroro there.

The boy made a sudden move. But just as Kuroro presumed the boy would yell and attack him, he had scrambled himself away instead. His oceanic green eyes read nothing but fear, and he asked.

"Who are you?"


	2. Ch 2 Lost Memories

Folks, I've posted first chapter of the sequel for 'the Sun also Shines at Night.' And from the feedbacks I've got, I'm working on extra chapter for 'the Sun…' as well since there was a huge gap between prequel and sequel.

Anyways, continued from where I left off from, goodness, seven months ago!?

**Sunshine 2 Lost Memories**

x

_I hold you in my hands, a little animal._

_And only some dumb idiot would let you go._

x

"Who are you?" the boy questioned in a raspy voice as he glanced around. "Where am I? What…happened?"

Kuroro had yet to supply an answer. From quick observation, the boy looked completely lost; he wasn't faking it. This boy couldn't be feigning ignorance and stab him in the back once he turned around. No, this boy wasn't that type. Besides, the boy was scared…for real.

When the boy didn't stop searching Kuroro's eyes, he asked, "You don't remember?" The boy shook his head with a soft, "no," and Kuroro's assumption was confirmed. The boy had lost his memories. Silence hung in the air while Kuroro thought fast, and made up, "You were in an accident."

"What…" the boy said as he lowered his gaze to his clothes, and his hands. His face turned appalled. "What kind of accident? Why do I have…blood…?"

Kuroro observed, at the moment that the boy saw blood, he had expected that those eyes would turn red, but they didn't. He said smoothly, "You were attacked by a monster. That must have injured your memory. But you should be fine." It was good that Kuroro himself already changed into clean clothes, and the flame-colored eyes were placed in another room, or else it would beg one more question.

"A monster?" The boy shook his head violently, and regretted the consequence of his actions. He responded to Kuroro's last remark, "no, I won't…I can't even remember who I am…"

Quickly recalling how the boy's mother called for her son from the distance, Kuroro supplied, "You're Kurapika." When said Kurapika's expression implored for more explanation, Kuroro said, "I'm Kuroro." He gestured towards the window, directing the boy to take a look. As the boy did so, Kuroro introduced him their whereabouts, "We're in Ryuuseigai, the city where everything is dumped. You, Kurapika, were one of the things that had been abandoned here months ago." That said, Kurapika's head jerked back to look at him, an unbelieving and shocked look on his face. Kuroro showed no sympathy, and only continued with his invented story, "I found you amidst the dumping ground and took you under my wing. You don't remember anything before you were here. That's normal though, more often than not, they made you forget the past before leaving you to Ryuuseigai."

"They? Who's they?" The boy asked, apprehension still hanging upon his face.

"You never knew, no one knows," Kuroro easily brushed that aside. There, he made it. Now that they were in Ryuuseigai, things would be a lot easier since nothing ever existed here. There were plenty of humans without backgrounds at this junkyard.

"So…I was abandoned?" The boy asked, his voice heartbreaking.

"As I've said, everything here is abandoned from somewhere else. But here, we formed our own community. After all, this is a city." Kuroro studied the boy's stiffness, he looked as if he was about to cry. Kuroro didn't expect that from the boy who had achieved making him bleed. _Would the memory loss change the personality?_ In any case, Kuroro decided to end the weighty discussion, and said, "You were with me, and still are. Don't go wracking your brains out for the past you don't need."

There was a quiet moment where the boy seemed to be thinking Kuroro's words over. Those ocean-green eyes, to Kuroro, were speculating deeply. One moment, Kuroro had anticipated that the boy would remember. At last, Kurapika nodded softly and seemed to accept that explanation; Kuroro's acts and dialogue had worked to ease the boy of his worries.

Kuroro got the boy a glass of water to wash down his hoarse throat. "I'll bring you some clean clothes, and you need rest."

This time, the boy nodded obediently.

Shortly after, Kuroro returned with a new set of clothes. He let the boy change in the adjoined washroom. But the boy seemed to be taking too long; Kuroro wondered if the boy did see the red in his eyes in the reflection. After all, the eyes would still activate should the Kuruta had emotional agitation. He gave the door an interrupting light knock, "You all right in there?"

The door creaked open ajar, and Kuroro glanced in to see Kurapika with a shirt that seemed to be too large for him. The boy didn't move, but seemed to be having a hard time buttoning the shirt with his injured hands.

"Here, let me," Kuroro stepped in, not waiting for a response and helped the boy with the shirt.

"Thank you," Kurapika said, somewhat embarrassed for his incapability. "I don't know what could have caused my hands to be like this."

"As I've said, accident. You don't need to know the details," Kuroro disregarded the boy's suspicion. He was suddenly aware that his act of covering things up could double the boy's doubt, so he was surprised when Kurapika only nodded in willing acceptance. And if Kuroro wasn't mistaken, _'was that a small smile I saw?'_ It was only a brief moment though.

Kurapika returned to his prior position, right beside the door where the sink situated with a mirror above it. Then the boy called out, "Kuroro-niisan."

The Spider head suppressed the urge to laugh, "Niisan?" _'Gives me itches. Well, from Paku's information, politeness is one of the Kuruta's traits.' _He ended up chuckling nonetheless. "You don't need to use that term around here."

The boy gave him an uncertain look. "But…even if we knew each other before, I can't remember. And aren't you older than me?"

"Yes, yes," Kuroro affirmed with a smile, his eyes slid closed momentarily in a detached manner. Then he cast his eyes upon the image of the boy and himself in the mirror. "I'm twenty one. As for you, could be no older than twelve or thirteen. In any case, we don't bother with class or level here, and politeness is not necessary."

"Oh, okay. Well…Kuroro?" Kurapika tried again.

"Hmm?"

The boy's eyes trained back on Kuroro's reflection, seeing the man was standing behind him, watching him by the door frame. Then Kurapika posted, "What kind of person have I been since you've known me?"

'_That's a difficult one.' _For one thing, Kuroro had thought he could judge the boy from his actions back at Rukuso. But the boy had been behaving in a different way since he'd woken up. Although he could easily frame the boy's past few months to fit the way he wanted things to be, he didn't. Kuroro was interested to see how it would turn out. "It doesn't matter. You are what you are now."

"I am…what I am now?" the boy echoed as he reached to touch his reflection, "I'm not familiar with this face." He shifted his gaze to Kuroro's reflection, observing the man who had raven-colored hair, eyes as dark as the blackest night, skin paler than Kurapika's, and a deep tone of voice. Kurapika closed his eyes and sighed, "Then again, I'm not familiar with anyone's face."

The boy had made it ambiguous, but Kuroro could read between the lines. "Boy, you have doubts."

Returning the man's gaze for a while, Kurapika looked away. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to be doubtful in you or your words. Just that…I'm so confused."

"Leave your worries behind for now. Get enough rest first and we'll talk about this later," Kuroro commanded as he led the boy to the cushion, tucked him in (just to make sure the boy stayed), and was about to leave, but a pull at the hem of his shirt stopped him. Surprised, he glanced down and saw the boy's small hand latched onto his shirt.

"Can you stay until I fall asleep?" Kurapika asked, voice tight with anxiety.

When people were scared, they didn't want to be alone. Kuroro knew this, although he never really understood them. But what an ironic twist of events. Here the boy named Kurapika who recently would have given everything to decapitate him, was now putting his trust in him entirely.

To gain that trust, Kuroro stayed.

The boy looked weak and broken. He was no longer a threat, only a delicate little thing. But in retrospect, Kuroro knew this boy could be much more than he appeared to be, and he would make the most out of it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"It must have been the shock from experiencing the massacre of his clan, leaving him with no memory. Thus, we keep him. We could easily feed him with our philosophies and manipulate him in our ways." Kuroro said flatly to his comrades who gawked at him as if he'd grown two heads. He knew…some, or most couldn't agree with him, so he stated, "Share your opinions."

The violet-haired girl made a face, "It's just a…feeling."

Kuroro waited but Machi said no more; he insisted, "Is it bad?"

The young lady face's fell into a deeper frown. "I'm not sure whether it's bad or good. I'm not even sure what it is about that boy that gives me the hunch." She turned sideways, and mumbled to herself, "Strange."

_Strange indeed_, Kuroro concurred mentally. More often than not, Machi could pinpoint about her hunch, what it was concerning and such. Even if she fell short on that part, she still could decide on which was a positive or negative intuition.

"Well," Machi sighed, "I can't put a finger on it, but I have confidence in your decision, so-" She lifted a palm towards her leader, as a gesture of leaving it all up to him.

Kuroro nodded, then shifted his attention to another person, Nobunaga, a man who wore a classic Japanese style robe. He had a long black hair tied in a ponytail, his beard and mustache unshaved. He said, "I just don't like him."

"Agreed, he seems like a weakling," sneered Feitan, the smallest male dressed in black cloak.

"Well, Fei. A weakling couldn't have left a scratch on my cheek," Kuroro jabbed his scratched cheek and smiled when Feitan whose eyes were so small widened at the revelation.

"I can't believe that was from the kid!" Ubogin blurted, downright surprised.

Kuroro shook his head and furthered, "Right, he's just a kid. Instead of drawing back in fear, he kept closing in on me. While other Kuruta kids were far from being cowards, they still didn't give any of you all they had even in the state of burning with anger, right? For them, the sight of blood and gore alone had interfered with their battle proficiencies. Fear would have done that to anyone, let alone children. But Kurapika is different."

"So he was good? Or probably that was just a fluke," Nobunaga remarked.

"No, it wasn't a fluke," Kuroro affirmed.

"If he could harm you, no matter how small that is, he shouldn't be overlooked. Even if he's lost his memories, there's always a chance that his memories could resurface," Pakunoda pointed out.

"Of course there is." Kuroro said, already thinking back: when Kurapika had woken up, he was scared by the sight of Kuroro. It raised a question of why was that? If the boy failed to remember anything, why was he afraid? Did Kuroro look scary? No, his features wasn't least bit like Ubogin. Or was that normal for anyone who was left with no memory? Perhaps, a memento condition? Kuroro had harmed Kurapika in the past, and Kurapika would likely have a feeling of general unease encountering him. _Even amnesiacs, under the right circumstances, could remember their past feelings. Still_, if that was the case, wouldn't Kurapika exhibit fury towards him rather than fear?

"Danchou?" Pakunoda called, seeing her leader sink into silence.

Looking back at his worried comrade, Kuroro reasoned, "From what I see, Kurapika's condition is more like repressed memory than a dissociative fugue. It's his own defense mechanism that prevented him from accessing his pain memory. In that case, his subconscious wouldn't want to recall it. Subsequently it should be fine." He leveled his eyes to his comrade and concluded, "Should he remember his past and go against us, I'll just get rid of him. Nothing complicated."

"Well, I'll leave it up to you, Danchou," Franklin opinioned as the last person.

Their opinions would be bear in the leader's mind, but in the end, the head's decision was all that mattered.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Before he could recruit Kurapika for a position in Spiders, Kuroro needed the right information for the right introduction to his comrades. First, he needed to find out about the boy's frame of mind. For a matter of a week, he'd assigned his comrades to scatter to their own domiciles. Not that it was any peculiar order, since the six floors worn down warehouse was the Ryodan's rendezvous, and particularly Kuroro's place. The Spider members still had somewhere else to be, or their original abodes that they still went to.

When Kuroro allowed Kurapika to step out of the tower he'd been confined in for days, the boy had literally poked his head in every corner of the quarters. On the first impression, Kuroro had almost let himself think of Kurapika as a new pet kitten exploring the new environment. But when realization dawned on him, he was impressed. Kurapika was, in fact, looking for remnants of his prior stay. Fortunately, Kuroro had got some clothes and necessities that would fit him readied for this matter; successfully convincing Kurapika.

Most of his time was spent with boy after that. Aside from that, he spent time alone appreciating the beauty of the flame-colored eyes he'd robbed. Couldn't put the two together. Having Kuroro come and go had become a routine for Kurapika. Out of curiosity, he did ask. Kuroro only answered him that he went out for an errand, a job.

Along the way, he had become the boy's favorite person. Although perhaps it was because he was the only one always with Kurapika, but they found they got along pretty well in almost every aspect, whether it was their choices of reading or their interest and intellectual capacity in the field of history and anthropology. The boy never found boredom in Kuroro's so-called library in the room on 6th floor and up in the tower when the man was away.

'_This is normal. In most cases, people who lose their memories still retain everything else they learned in life except their own past. The wonders of the brain,' _Kuroro mused. _'Then what about his conscience…?' _Kuroro picked one of the books from a pile. The book was chosen just for this set up. He opened the book to a certain page, raising it a bit to shroud the lower half of his face. His eyes locked onto the boy."Kurapika."

"Hmm?" the boy shifted his sea green eyes from the book that he was engaged in and looked at Kuroro with his full attention. Kuroro always called his name first if things were in regard to something important.

"Answer me this," Kuroro began.

"Yes," Kurapika replied as his eyes strayed to the cover of the book, _"Conscience."_

"What do you think about stealing from other people?"

"Wrong," Kurapika answered as soon as the question was finished.

"Why wrong? Is it wrong to you, to anyone?" Kuroro returned, and was surprised to see the look on the boy's face.

Kurapika's expression was something of disbelief and confusion. He shot back, "Of course it would be wrong. Why _wouldn't_ it be wrong?"

Kuroro hadn't expected that the conversation would turn out this way. The boy looked dead serious about this, and stared at him as if the big word of _'wrong' _was written on his face shining with neon light. Considering the fact that the boy didn't elaborate on his answer further, but instead stood firmly rooted on it with his body language, Kuroro believed it was just because his words of clarification were limited.

Nodding, Kuroro tried the alternative, "What about stealing from the people who don't rightfully own that particular something?"

Kurapika's eyes cast down again, then back up at Kuroro. "And to return it to the rightful owner?"

"Yes," Kuroro answered firmly, as if to prove his point was true, while in fact, it wasn't.

"Umm, it's probably okay. If it doesn't hurt anyone," the boy looked unsure.

Hidden from the boy, Kuroro's eyes narrowed. _'If it doesn't hurt anyone? That could be a bit difficult. Still, that would somehow do-' _

"Uwah!"

"What?" Kuroro raised his eyebrows at the boy who suddenly bolted up as if the ground burned and proceed to leap on the cart box where Kuroro was seated. The boy pointed a shaking finger to the spot he had occupied earlier, and Kuroro was amused to see what it was all about.

A spider.

Kuroro chuckled, craning his head a bit to regard the boy behind him, "You're scared of spiders?"

The boy shook his head, "Not really, but I _hate_ them!"

'_What a coincidence,' _Kuroro pondered as the boy continued to practically latch himself onto Kuroro. _'You don't know what you're doing. I'm the biggest Spider, kid. Anyways...let's see how you would react to this.' _"I'll take care of it. If you wouldn't like the sight, don't look."

"No, don't kill it!"

Kuroro stopped midway between getting up and looked back questioningly at the boy. "Why? You hate it, don't you?"

"Yes, but it doesn't mean that anyone has to kill it just because I hate it!" Kurapika threw himself down from the box and shoved past Kuroro with a thick scrap paper he had randomly grabbed among the unused. He slid the spider up on the paper, and hastened to the window, then flung the whole thing out. He let out a sound of distress, "Urg."

'_And where did that courage come from after he hightailed away from it?' _"You're a strange boy," Kuroro commented, "You hate it, yet you don't want to kill it."

"No, you'd be more strange if you freely kill anything just because you don't like it," Kurapika returned, huffing a bit.

Eyes narrowed slightly, Kuroro asked, "Why? Could you give me a specific reason? You're still young, I want to know how you think."

The boy was taken aback. One part of him wanted to fire back, _'how in the world could a person kill freely!?' _ But from one look at Kuroro, he realized that maybe Kuroro just wanted an answer. That was all. Kuroro had a knack for pushing him to the utmost of elaboration, probably just to know him - which Kurapika didn't really mind.

Kurapika's eyes cast down. "Because no one has a right to take anyone's life."

"Where did you get that from?" Now Kuroro was curious.

Kurapika shook his head. "I don't know. Probably from my par– I don't know."

Kuroro raised his brow, _'Was he going to say -parents-?' _He delivered one more question to distract the boy from his background for the time being. "Why do you hate spiders?"

"I don't know, I just hate them," Kurapika shrugged, but his composure was far from carefree.

"Sickening? Ghastly? Filthy?" Kuroro provided.

"None of those reasons," the boy shook his head again, his eyes turned dark for a split second as he said in an ominous tone, "I just _hate_ them."

"I see," Kuroro nodded as it was brought to mind,_ 'Come to think of it. Nobunaga, Ubogin, Feitan and I did announce to some of the good Kuruta warriors regarding who we are (we usually did whenever we came across someone worth telling): Genei Ryodan, Spiders. Somehow, I don't think this kid would know about this.' _

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Basically, just carry on like you already knew him from a past meeting. He's been with me for three months. And like most Ryuusegai citizens, no one has a clue about his past. I will play the part of feeding him with decorated lies, so you guys just be oblivious about his background. And don't ever mention things like 'Kuruta' or 'Rukuso,' so far he hasn't shown interest in finding out about his own past, but we better be on the safe side." Kuroro explained to Pakunoda, Machi, and Franklin. On the other hand, Nobunaga, Ubogin, and Feitan were absence due to his order.

"Are you seriously going to make him one of us, Danchou?" Machi asked. If she was worried, she didn't show it.

Kuroro nodded, "Intellectually, Kurapika has shown his wits, but I haven't seen the part of his combat skills. That will come after finding if he is capable of them or not, which I will by today."

"What about his frame of mind? Is the boy capable of being a Spider?" Franklin was interested.

This time, Kuroro shook his head. "I'm afraid not. The boy was strongly against stealing and killing. That is why he will learn that my job is retrieving the goods, stolen from the bandits, in order to return them to the rightful owners."

Unlike Machi, Pakunoda clearly had the expression of concern about this and pointed out the obvious. "Then we have to keep on going over the trouble of lying to the boy? Danchou, wouldn't it be easier to recruit someone with the Spider's frame of mind?"

"Paku," Kuroro called, his eyes strayed to the other two as well, knowing they all thought the same, "All of us didn't easily get together, did we? You do remember the troubles each of us had to go through before becoming a gang as we are today. Now I'm not saying that Kurapika is exactly capable of being one of us, but he holds the potential. I will work on that part of his conscience. If it works, then fine. If not, his life is done for. Is that good enough for you?"

"Well, I really can't imagine how you would change his perception if you said he's strongly against stealing and killing. But maybe you could," Machi remarked. "Meanwhile, we can't do such things when the kid is around too, right?"

"We'll do what we can," Franklin easily accepted, he always did. "We normally don't steal and kill in Ryuuseigai, so that should be fine for now."

"I hope it works," Pakunoda said dejectedly, voice lowering into a whisper.

"Hopefully, it will. We need more people." Clasping his hands together, Kuroro rose from his seat, "Inform Nobunaga, Ubogin, and Feitan about this."

"Oh," Machi mouthed, and made a face, "Nobunaga and Ubogin wanted me to relay a message to you, when you required only the three of us. Umm, they said, _'We feel so ditched!'_"

After blinking, Kuroro chuckled. "Can't help that. Those three are volatile; I didn't want to break everything to Kurapika all at once. That's why you three will meet him first."

"What!?" the three voiced in unison.

Kuroro already headed towards the stair while saying to his comrades, "I want you guys to remember his face. And Kurapika had been nagging me about my job; today he'll get the answer, the job that I steal back from bandits. More often than not, I don't work alone, that is where you guys come into the picture."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Kurapika, do you remember my comrades?"

Passing a glance over the three strangers, Kurapika shook his head. "I'm sorry."

The Spider comrades didn't really know how to react. Machi carried no knowledge at all of how to react with kids. Pakunoda, while she knew, didn't trust herself to do it. Only Franklin managed to wave amiably at the kid. But all in all, they _weren't _made for being _frigging_ caregivers. Kuroro didn't expect anything from them either, except just to see each other, and mainly to know Kurapika's level of reading people.

"They are Pakunoda, Machi, and Franklin," Kuroro introduced accordingly.

"Comrades," Kurapika mumbled, as if to test the word. "As in friends?" he asked innocuously, which sent the room into silence.

'_Well, not quite but.' _"Something like that. You probably use a different term in your area."

Kuroro first planned not to let the boy know anything about him. But Kurapika wouldn't allow that. The boy had been posing him endless questions. Kuroro wouldn't take the boy for a curious type, but one with a vigilant desire to learn in order to protect himself. And maybe, that was just the way an amnesiac person would behave. He had to answer Kurapika accordingly, framing things to fit the boy's mind as much as possible.

"For my job, the question that you've been asking, I and my comrades go around the world to retrieve articles. They're mostly historical items stolen from the bandits that we then return them to the rightful owners. That is what we do."

"I see. That's why you asked me those questions," Kurapika responded, thinking back.

Words were barely exchanged between Kuroro's comrades and Kurapika. Once they left, Kuroro questioned the boy, "Well, what you think of them so far? You've just met them once, but there wasn't much interaction back then either."

Kurapika seemed to be scramble for words for quite a while before he answered, "I don't mean to be rude, but they seem cold." He fidgeted, glancing at Kuroro who waited patiently for his answer. "I'm not used to cold people." Here the boy noticed Kuroro leaning forward slightly, as if his answer had the man's interest to a great extent. Kurapika's face colored as he bowed his head, bangs shadowed his eyes, "or so I feel, even if I don't remember."

'_Does it mean that I'm not cold?' _the thought crossed Kuroro's mind, but he didn't bother about it. One more thing to find out about this boy before he could get to a next step, the setting of his plan lied outside the quarters. "Kurapika, how about coming with me into the city?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Having the boy in the middle of the city had shown him a lot. For sure, the boy disliked the environment. It was written all over his face when he saw the people littered on the ground. The sight of all the junkyards and everything else in Ryuuseigai made Kurapika grimace. But that wasn't what Kuroro was looking for.

"Are they dead?" Kurapika tugged at the hem of Kuroro's shirt, but his eyes never strayed away from the bodies on the ground.

"They're just sleeping. You scared?"

The boy nodded, "This…here, it just feels so wrong," the boy said.

"Ryuuseigai is an undeveloped city. This is normal here," Kuroro smiled at the boy, almost comfortingly, "Don't worry. Once the job here is done, we're leaving."

Kurapika nodded weakly as he put himself closer to the man.

'_How come this kid is attaching? I didn't think he'd be that type,' _Kuroro pondered and came up with a simple plan. He reached into his coat pocket. He would let the kid hold a valuable item and leave him in the spot where muggings often took place. Once the item in the kid's hands was stolen, he'd see how the kid would react. _'For sure, he would go after them, but how fast could he go, how would he get it back from them?' _That was what Kuroro was interested to learn.

He fished out that item and was about to call Kurapika when shouts and yells floated over, followed by a person who charged through and inadvertently threw Kurapika to the ground. As Kurapika pushed himself back up, Kuroro noted that the boy was quick, as if he was aware of things that just happened. When he came to the boy's side, they realized a group of gangsters was chasing down a little girl.

Kuroro knew it probably was because the girl might have held something valuable. Energetic kids here usually found more stuff than adults who only lazed around. Kuroro didn't give it a thought but-

"We have to help her!" Kurapika was fast on his feet, pursuing the group that chased down the girl around the corner of the building.

Plan being shelved, Kuroro stood transfixed for a split second before sprinting after Kurapika. When he made a turn at the corner of the building that led into the small alley, he saw all of them from afar. He sighed, _'Not what I've planned for, but this would do.' _He hid himself in the shadow and waited. What he saw was the girl and Kurapika being cornered to the wall, no where left to run. _'Kurapika was that fast to catch up with the girl before those people did,' _Kuroro noted.The girl was clutching something close to her, and Kurapika positioned himself in front of her. _'Now I know what kind of a person he is.' _

One of the adults grabbed Kurapika by the collar and shoved him against the wall. The boy winced in pain and struggled in vain. Kuroro scrutinized, _'How quaint. The way he attempted to fight doesn't look like how he attacked me back there.' _For a split second, Kurapika's eyes flashed red, but not enough to be noticed by anyone save for the observing Kuroro.

"Stay away from her!" Kurapika yelled despite being the first in the line of threat. Another man stepped in, a wooden plank in his hand. When he hoisted it up, ready to strike, Kurapika clamped his eyes shut. The blow never came. Kurapika cracked open one eye and saw a familiar poker face behind the struggling mugger.

That day, Kurapika discovered how strong Kuroro was, and how he was the complete opposite.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

After making sure the girl was okay, Kuroro took Kurapika home. All the way back, the boy was downcast and grim; Kuroro could see clouds above the blond head. But the boy himself kept his mouth tightly sealed, so Kuroro considered that the boy must still be bearing the pain of his injured back.

Once they reached their quarters, Kuroro sat a dull Kurapika down and instructed, "Take off your shirt."

Kurapika did as he was told and shivered a bit in the cold night air. He had his eyes trained on Kuroro who languidly sauntered over to the cabinet and grabbed the first-aid kit and back. When Kuroro realized the boy was watching him, he quirked one brow. "What?"

"With that kind of sluggish movement you always give an impression, I'd never know that you have such great skills in martial arts had we not been in that situation," Kurapika said softly, voice secretly holding admiration.

In response, Kuroro smiled as he mused, _'Certainly not martial arts, but just a miniature amount of means in killing.' _Then he started conversationally, "Why? Do I not look like the type to pick a fight?"

"Not at all. You don't look like the type to harm anyone."

'_Bad judge of character. This kid got everything all correct, save for the things about me…all so wrong.' _Then Kuroro had to think again, _'Or is it only because my acting is paying off?' _"But today I did and you don't mind? I hurt people,"Kuroro countered_, _still wanting to learn the boy's perception.

"It's different. They started first, so they deserved it. I can't believe it, grown-ups robbing from a girl!" the boy voiced in frustration and hissed a bit when Kuroro ran a cotton ball wet with alcohol along his bare skin, where red spots had formed.

"Hmm," Kuroro responded. He would have killed them if Kurapika wasn't there. "You weren't that bad yourself, chasing after them to save that girl. It takes a lot of guts." _'Just what I'm looking for.' _

Kurapika shook his head softly. "It didn't save anyone though, not even myself."

'_I'm wondering. When you attacked me back there, I'm sure your strength was more than enough to wipe out those duds today, but you didn't. Perhaps you weren't angry enough?' _Then Kuroro realized the real reason why the boy was so dull after the whole ordeal was over.

Kurapika was disappointed with himself for not being able to help someone out.

'_Not the Spider-type exactly.'_

Once Kuroro was done nursing the boy's wound, Kurapika turned around as he called, "Kuroro."

"Hmm?" the man responded airily as he organized the medication back into place. Then he sensed the boy's intense eyes on him.

Kurapika's eyes bore into Kuroro's as he said, "I want to become strong. Would you train me?"

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Two lines of music are from the song "Sunshine" by Keane. Does it have to do anything with this fic? Of course, I always write fics with the name of the song because that particular song influences me on particular fic…maybe I've mentioned that before?

The part about memories, I got the info from Wiki. Repressed memory refers to the inability to recall information, usually about stressful or traumatic events in persons' lives. The memory is stored in long term memory, but access to it is impaired because of psychological defense mechanisms. As for Dissociative Fugue, it is caused by psychological trauma and is usually temporary, unresolved and therefore may return.

13


	3. Ch 3 Reminiscence and Training

As promised, I'm back with this fic too! It's funny how on the day that I got back to writing this fic, I've just received a most recent review from one guest saying "this story is great. shame you gave up on it" XD Gee! I wanted to hit the reply button and talk but I couldn't do it with guest ^^" anyhow, if you're still out there, here I am! Thanks, really :). And thank you everyone too who still encourage me to write after all these years. Rest assured my friends, I'm pretty certain that I'll write KuroKura for a long while. I might even do doujinshi too. Can't get them out of my head!

I made a bit of changes in chapter 2, just adding up some part describing how Kuroro's comrades look like. I haven't done enough on that part when I first wrote it. I sort of have a mental image of them as current Genei Ryodan while in fact this story set 5 years before the current Ryodan.

_Special Thanks to Yumiii for beta-reader XD_

**Chapter 3 Reminiscence and Training **

'_How convenient of me.' _Kuroro didn't even have to start, and the boy had come right out to request Kuroro train him.

'_But…it looks like I've overestimated this kid more than I needed to.' _

Kuroro watched Kurapika tumble for what seemed like the thirtieth time or something. He'd lost count. Although the boy possessed a higher-than-average spirit in not giving up and getting back up every time he fell, his fighting skills, or defending skills at least, were nowhere near good enough. The boy lacked agility, strength, and everything else that was required in learning how to battle.

"Sit down a bit before you keel over," Kuroro said as he turned his back to the Kuruta.

Kurapika watched as the man proceeded to seat himself over one of the numerous boulders among the tall trees. Since early morning, they had been practicing at the back of their living quarters where a wide open space of the forest could serve as their training ground. Kuroro hadn't even so much as breaking a sweat. Kurapika stood his ground, hands tightening over the twin wooden swords, the weapon that he agreed when Kuroro said he could be good with it. Right now, Kurapika was the only one who felt that his limbs were ready to fall off.

"Don't strain yourself. It's no use going over the limit as of yet. Take a break, Kurapika," Kuroro repeated, his tone more pressing this time.

Finally, Kurapika's head hung low. He staggered to the boulder next to Kuroro, even though his feet now hurt to walk. When he settled himself down, he mumbled, "I'm no good, am I?"

"These things take time," Kuroro responded as he looked up at the sky in a detached manner.

There was no comfort in Kuroro's voice, but Kurapika had learned by now that it was just the way the man was.

"But it's been a week," Kurapika disputed. "We train everyday. I should have made some kind of progress by now."

Kuroro slanted a look at the boy, and pondered to himself: _'Exactly. How odd this is. You were supposed to do a lot better than this_._' _

Not that Kurapika was that bad, but he wasn't as close to good, which would be no use to Kuroro if he planned to recruit the boy in the Ryodan. Disappointment began to set in. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe what happened back then was just a complete fluke when Kurapika managed to make him bleed.

And as strange as it was, Kurapika had many times catch a glimpse of Kuroro's brief expressions. Despite how stoic Kuroro almost always looked, like that moment, Kurapika could tell that Kuroro was contemplating deeply about his low capability.

"At least, you're good enough to protect yourself," Kuroro commented - a little encouragement would do good. "That's a start."

The boy took on a dejected expression. "That's not my purpose; my purpose is to protect – I don't know, something."

'_So like you,' _Kuroro pondered while he as well, didn't miss the look on the boy's face. It was momentarily blank when he said that. He observed the boy closely but the other only looked back with that huge, innocent eyes. Kuroro possessed lots of patience. He then made a mental note to himself.

_'Let's see for one more week.'_

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One week later found Kurapika not any better. In terms of sparring, he was doing fine with a little progress he'd made through time. Yet, there was nothing significant about his fighting that Kuroro thought was worthy enough. And here they were, pretty much alike the past few days of spar, Kurapika not making anything remarkable save his willpower.

Kuroro revised his teaching method. Explaining how weapons or hand-to-hand worked in combat, check. Teaching him about timings when battling, check. Instructing, with demonstration, how to handle swords, check. What else was there? The boy had been intelligent with logic and theory, but seemed to be the opposite when it came to practical terms.

_Thud!_

The boy had fallen again. Kuroro had been patient for the last two weeks. But if this kept going, his patience would soon wear thin.

A soft sigh escaped his lips, and he suggested: "Take some rest while I'll go into the capitol to run an errand. I'll be back after two hours."

The boy's face fell but Kuroro spared him no consoling words whatsoever, and he left.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Spider leader had spent his travel time to and from the capitol speculating on the Kuruta boy. This kid was far from good at this moment. For whatever reason, the kid that had managed to bleed him wasn't here.

'_What a shame.' _

When he returned, he wasn't surprised to see the kid still in the training ground. Under the walnut tree, the little Kuruta kid was slumped against a tree trunk, fast asleep. As quiet as a falling leaf, he made his way in. He knelt down to study the boy's features. Seeing more cuts than two hours ago, he must have been training himself hard.

A part of him admired the boy's endeavor, but that alone was nowhere near enough. Not enough for a reason for him to keep the boy alive. His dark eyes stilled with the thought, _'At this rate, he's most likely not able to reach my expectation. Should I-' _His hands reached out towards the sleeping Kuruta. _'-kill him now?'_

As soon as the thought came to Kuroro's mind, Kurapika's eyes flew open wide. They were red, flame-colored.

So sudden that Kuroro was surprised, but didn't show it. His hand stilled in midair.

"Ah? Kuroro?" the young boy said with the most stunned look on his face, taking in the man in front of him, then his surroundings. His eyes slowly returning to normal, unbeknownst to the owner.

Said man had to wonder aloud, "Who else did you think it would be?"

"Eh." The boy scratched the back of his head in absent manner. To Kuroro, the behavior didn't suit the boy. "Don't know. For a moment there I just felt as if something was off. Bad feelings, like someone is going to do something terrible….I guess." As quick as he finished that, he blurted, "Heh, must be my imagination. I must have dozed off with a nightmare and confused it with what was going on around me."

If Kuroro had hid his surprise then, he didn't hide it now.

Upon seeing the man's expression, Kurapika gave a sheepish smile and leaned forward, resting his hands on his ankles. "Sorry, I'm just mumbling nonsense. How could there be some ill intent floating around you, right?"

Kuroro need not answer. The boy made it sound like it wasn't a question. He had no doubt in Kuroro. However, it sure as _hell_ wasn't nonsense to Kuroro. Kurapika had caught on his killing intent, and even in his couldn't pass it off as coincidence.

The only thing that stood in the way of the boy's knowing was his complete trust in Kuroro. He must have thought that Kuroro was going to wake him up with that outstretched hand. _Interesting_, and now that he'd gained back the patience.

"Say, do you feel up for more training?" To Kuroro's astonishment, the boy's features brightened up much more than he'd anticipated.

"Yes, please!" the boy all but agreed.

"That glad?"

Realizing he must have overreacted, Kurapika backed down a bit. His cheeks turned pink as he looked down to his feet. He admitted: "I was afraid that you've just gotten so tired of me not getting any better."

"Truth be told, at one point I did." Kuroro disclosed with no sympathy, but he didn't leave the sinking atmosphere for long as he followed up with his point, "But I still see your potential, so let's work on it again. I hope you won't give up on it first."

"No, not yet," the boy affirmed as he grabbed the twin wooden swords resting beside him and rose up. "Let's try again."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

'_He's better now. Even if it was only a slightest bit of improvement, he's definitely better.' _Kuroro mused after the last two hours of training. _'So it took my ill intent to make this kid a better fighter? Perhaps due to his inner instinct to survive.' _

When Kurapika backed off to time his next charge, he trained his eyes on Kuroro. For the first time, since training he saw something that he had to ask. "Umm…What are you smiling at?"

The man in question lifted an eyebrow. He reached a hand up to his lips, something he unconsciously did when he was deep in thought. This time he did it to feel his expression. Yes, he was in fact reason was nothing complicated other than the fact that this boy amused him.

Kuroro allowed a chuckle to escape his smiling lips and said, "You're getting better, I'm pleased."

The boy broke into a smile as well, but he didn't stop to say thank you or ask 'really?' for more compliments. He accepted it as encouragement to carry on the lesson.

How Kuroro was satisfied for the day.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kuroro had another thing in mind that would add to the boy's respect of him. The day after, he asked if Kurapika wanted to tag along with him to the capitol for the prior day's unfinished business, though already knowing the answer. After the incident with those thugs, most children from a good background would have been scarred for life spending one day in Ryuuseigai. But not Kurapika.

Perhaps the fact that he lost his memories of that good background helped, but still...

Along the deserted road to the capitol, Kurapika walked alongside Kuroro. He was less attached but his jumpiness said otherwise. It was obvious to Kuroro that the boy was trying a lot harder than before to be independent. He must have got it that Kuroro didn't want him being too clingy. And like other normal kids, they wanted approval from the adults, especially the one they admired.

Half an hour later, they reached the capitol. Kurapika observed. There were people who paid homage to Kuroro although there was no real conversation exchanged. It seemed like Kuroro wasn't one to talk much with other people either.

To the main town hall they went. Yet, Kurapika had to wait like a good boy in the foyer while Kuroro had a meeting with the elders on the faraway table from where Kurapika was told to sit.

It wasn't long until Kuroro made his way back towards the boy. Although he was close enough, Kurapika didn't turn to him. Usually, he would look glad that the wait was over. Instead, his eyes were blank, staring off into the courtyard of the town hall. Kuroro followed the direction to see what it was.

A family, consisting of a couple and two young boys- brothers.

"Kurapika."

One word from Kuroro made Kurapika snap out of it. "Ah? Kuroro, Your meeting's finished?" the boy's expression returned to normal.

The man nodded and asked in a bland tone of voice, "What were you thinking of?"

Green eyes returned to their object of attention, dimming. "I don't know why. Just looking at them makes my chest ache." Kurapika closed his eyes, one hand clenching into a fist. Then he regarded the man. "Strange. I don't even remember if I ever have a family…"

"Every orphan here longs for a family." Kuroro explained, then shifted his eyes from Kurapika to the trio. "Deep down inside, you probably remembered how yours was like." The boy's expression didn't seem any better, and it bothered Kuroro in some ways he couldn't quite put his finger on. His hand reached out and placed itself on the boy's head.

Kurapika wasn't the one most surprised by that.

Once realizing it, Kuroro retracted his hand. He turned around. "Anyhow, let's head back."

Like a good boy, Kurapika obediently followed his footsteps.

_What did you just do? Console Kurapika?_ That inner voice asked, to which Kuroro answered mentally, _'He showed signs of becoming stronger. He could be of use. I wouldn't want him breaking down just yet. Plus, it'd benefit to have him look up to me as much as he could. That's the reason why I brought him out here. Seeing people's respect to me would help adding up that part.'_

While at it, Kurapika's words interrupted his inner debate.

"Say, Kuroro. Do you have a family?"

For a brief moment Kuroro stopped in his tracks, then answered with his gaze staring off to the faraway horizon. "Not that I can remember." When the boy blinked up at him, he added, "Not that it matters one bit to me. People in Ryuuseigai are like family in itself."

"Like your comrades? They're your family, right?" The boy said, more of a statement than a question.

"You can put it that way," Kuroro responded as he resumed walking. It wasn't a lie.

"It's good…to have a family," the boy said, voice fading. He smiled, but it was one that didn't reach his eyes.

Upon that, Kuroro hadn't thought that much when he responded, "I could be your big brother if you'd like." As expected, the boy perked up, his expression priceless. Kuroro liked it better. "Or would you prefer me a father?" _'Who am I kidding anyway?' _

"Very funny. We have nothing in common," Kurapika made a face. His eyes were on Kuroro, observing the man who had the hair of raven-color, eyes as dark as the blackest night, skin paler than Kurapika's, and a deep tone for his voice. And…the cross-shaped tattoo on his forehead that Kurapika had yet to ask about it. Even the way they dressed. Kuroro always wore the color black, but the clothes he provided for Kurapika were mostly white instead.

"Hmm, let's see…" Kuroro's eyes flickered upwards, then back down to meet Kurapika's eyes. "Aren't our names similar? Our taste in readings and perceptions on them are alike too." Not to mention that somehow Kuroro felt that even some of their personalities were the same. _Irrelevant, but still, wasn't that the reason they got along so well in the first place? _

"Haha, right." The boy said between a half-hearted laugh.

What Kuroro hadn't expected was that the boy's laugh would transform to a genuine smile. Then… "Thank you, Kuroro."

Surprised. If the boy knew that he was joking, then why a touching thank you? Perhaps Kuroro had meant it since only half of what he said was intended to be a joke. Regarding this matter in Ryuuseigai's principle, he'd have meant it without being such a huge deal.

The boy's eyes drifted shut with a smile on his face. The kind of smile that Kuroro thought was a bit too old for the boy. A look which expressed how significant he thought this was.

"I'm still lucky that I'm not alone. I have you."

Something in those words affected Kuroro and despite himself, he found it hard to disregard it. He had to respond, "yeah."

"Though I wonder why me of all the orphans here?" The boy mused aloud.

Seeing through that the boy was just curious and not expecting any positive words from him, Kuroro gave his answer. "You have a certain significance than other kids, or even people in general. _You…_leave an impression. That's all I can say."

"Do I?" Kurapika paused in his tracks. He never knew if he was any special compared to others.

"Yep." There, Kuroro even managed a playful tone, seeing the atmosphere around the boy was much lighter now. _'An impression that left me with a bleeding cheek.'_

"I wouldn't want to burden myself with anything useless. I'm not that generous," Kuroro added the last bit. With a side glance, he'd noticed a bit of change in the boy's posture. _Perhaps that was too harsh? But it was the truth._ "Disappointed? That I'm not the person who you thought I might be?"

The boy shook his head. "No. You took me in when my parents abandoned me; that alone is more than enough for me. I appreciate your candor. Besides, I agree with you. I believe we are all born to _do_ something important…for someone else's sake." Kurapika's raised his hand to his chest absentmindedly as he continued, "If not, I don't think I can see the value in this life of mine." The boy smiled up at Kuroro as he remarked, "You have an honorable job," before his eyes shifted towards the path he was treading on. "I wonder what's mine…"

'_An honorable job, you believe? Not to worry, I have that in store for you... if you ever get better, that is.'_

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next day, Kurapika woke up alone. A note was left to him stating that Kuroro was on duty, which was nothing out of ordinary. Usually, the man would let him know beforehand but he had made it clear that it should be perfectly normal for Kurapika to be able to function on his own. _'Just don't wonder off too far from the living quarters.' _

Kurapika also learnt the fact that except Kuroro's six comrades that he'd mentioned, not a single other soul had ever visited this place. The living quarters and the vicinity were owned by Kuroro. No fence whatsoever drew the boundary which left Kurapika assuming that people here must have bore that well in mind.

Here in Ryuuseigai, Kuroro Lucifer was a respectable man.

After the morning ritual, the first thing Kurapika wanted to do was training with his swords. He descended the high tower and made his way down the spiral stairs. Once to the fifth floor of the compartment, he came to a sudden stop, having to squeeze his eyes shut when the sun shone through the window. The sunlight reflected something lying on the ground. It caught his attention as he was drawn near to see what it was. Bending down, Kurapika picked the object up to study it.

It was a drop earring ornamented with some sort of violet stone.

Something inside of him was pulled to the surface of his consciousness. A sudden flash of pain with the mental image of a woman occurred to him. A beautiful woman, with green eyes, light brown hair and pale feature just like his own. The image went by as soon as it came.

"Ahh!" Kurapika sagged to the ground, hands clutching his head. The pain was brief, leaving him in cold sweat. Yet he tried again…to recall. _Was that his memory? _But no matter how hard he tried, hands fisted around the earring, nothing else came. Only pain. He figured he'd to let it go…_for now_.

Still, that only image had already imprinted his mind. He had a strong feeling about this as he looked at the earring in his hand. "Could she be…? Then does this belong to her?" If that was the case, then why was it here?

Lifting his gaze. he looked at the ground around him. This level was nothing of significance to the other floors, except that there was one locked room. The room where Kuroro told him he kept the retrieved valuable items for a time being before returning them to the rightful owner. The man said it was off limits to anyone, and Kurapika himself never wanted to pry.

His head ran with questions with no answers.

'_No use wrecking your brain for the past you don't need,' _was what Kuroro had taught him. But…was it true that he didn't need it?

Despite the pain and alarm Kurapika had felt earlier, he now felt that there was a deep comfort inside of him, when he held onto this earring. It was calm and soothing, even settling…something he hadn't truly felt since he had woken up with blood on his body.

Kurapika couldn't wait around for Kuroro to return by nightfall. He decided to go on about this day spending morning and afternoon practicing swords. Feeling he'd have enough for the day, and knowing Kuroro wouldn't approved of him overdoing it, Kurapika settled in the high tower and spent the rest of the day filling himself with the contents of the old books.

Once the sun started setting, Kurapika put down the last book he finished. He fished out the earring to study it again. Still nothing, only comfort that went straight to his heart. He believed it even helped him concentrate better in sword training.

'_So…comfy.' _His eyes were a bit heavy from training hard and reading. For the first time he could ever remember, he fell into a blissful sleep with the faint smell of grass and soft wind on his cheek.

Kurapika dreamt of a woman with that earring, who was so kind and loving to him.

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He woke up with a rude awakening. The room was dimmed; night had fallen. The clock read 9.09pm. Kurapika thought he had heard someone yell. He got up and realized he was covered with blanket. He hadn't fallen asleep with it, which meant that Kuroro must have been back. He reached for the candle holder and made his way out of the room.

Another roar echoed as he progressed down the stairs. All of his time being here, this place had been so deathly quiet, that it seemed out of place to have such loudness in here. The roar, which now Kurapika had made out as a voice complaining, was filled with intimidation. A part of him was scared of this occurrence, fearing what it could be. But a whole lot of his being was worried as he broke into a run, _'Kuroro!'_

Kurapika rushed down to where the voice was coming from. When the foyer came into view, he saw Kuroro occupying on the seat of a broken pillar surrounded by candles, them only source of light in the large room. But he wasn't alone. His green eyes widened at the sight of a huge, intimidating man who had his fist outstretched, towering a sitting Kuroro.

Without thinking, Kurapika dove in.

"Listen, Ubo." Kuroro started again, his face as still and calmed as ever. However, it did change the slightest bit when a small blond blob was in front of him all of a sudden, out of nowhere. He blinked and after a second. "Kurapika?"

There, Kurapika was in front of him, his back to him and arms outstretched - a gesture of protection for the raven-haired man. The boy fixed a glare on Ubogin, whose face now contorted into confusion.

"Back off!" The boy raised his voice, eyes glowing with a bit of an orange hue.

"The hell?" When Ubogin's surprise wore off, as he realized the boy's eyes hadn't turned red all the way. _Did it mean that he wasn't scared of him? _Ubogin's fist unclenched and moved the slightest bit towards an unyielding boy. _'This little brat…'_

That was when a pale hand gripped on Kurapika's shoulder, inclining the boy towards the owner. Kuroro then explained, "Kurapika, Ubogin's one of my comrades. He wasn't going to hurt me or anything."

The boy's green eyes stared at Kuroro then back at Ubogin. Fear, doubt, and distrust were written on his face when it looked at the huge man. But Kurapika trusted Kuroro's words more than anything, thus he relaxed. "Is that so?" Seconds after he regarded Ubogin again, his head lowered in a sincere, apologetic manner. "I'm sorry for my rude behavior, Ubogin-san. I misunderstood that you might harm Kuroro."

With his Danchou's hand on said little brat's shoulder, Ubogin could do nothing except gape, speechless. Not only by the boy's sudden 180 degree change, but even more so with his leader. Ubogin hoped he was wrong on that interpretation. _Danchou did not just mean to protect that brat from him._

Ubogin opened his mouth but shut it this time when Kuroro's eyes narrowed as he raised a hand, implying he ought to leave, _now_.

"We'll discuss this later, Ubogin," Kuroro ordered.

Jaws clenched, Ubogin left.

Once the huge man disappeared through the doorway without so much as a ruckus, Kurapika spun back to the raven-haired man, "What was he so angry about? Is it about me?"

Kuroro quirked one eyebrow. "Why would you think that?"

"I'm not sure. I just thought I heard he shouted something like 'you're wasting time on that brat.'" Kurapika scratched his cheek with a finger. He heard it but his mind was occupied worrying about Kuroro, and it didn't sink in until a moment ago.

Ubogin was the loudest among Kuroro's comrades, especially when he was pissed. But he wasn't _that _angry. He was just annoyed. That was the level the Spiders would categorize among themselves. Kuroro didn't expect his volume to reach the highest tower above the sixth floor. Otherwise, he would have told Ubo to shut up already. Perhaps Kuroro was just used to this kind of loudness from his comrade. Unless…Kurapika had sharp hearing.

While Kuroro was thinking of how to respond to that, Kurapika continued in anxious tone: "It's because of me, isn't it? You have places to be, or people to go to. But you're stuck with me because I lost my memories and-"

"Kurapika," Kuroro cut the boy short, having his hand clamped over the boy's mouth. He didn't like the worried look and anxious tone coming from Kurapika, nor did he with the babbling. "I'm with you because I chose to. My comrades are my subordinates. They can't tell me what to do so stop worrying so much."

A moment of silence. Then a small nod. Kuroro removed his hand from the boy's lips.

'_Right. I'm not wrong about spending my time on you.' _Kuroro thought. _Standing up against a group of thugs was already brave enough of him. But up against Ubo? _This kid had to be _crazy. _Then again, it was one major trait of Genei Ryodan. He couldn't help but comment, "I'm impressed though. You… standing up against a man more than twice the size of yours. Are you not afraid?"

"I was afraid," Kurapika admitted, eyes casting downward.

"Hmm?" _Did he not realize that he hadn't even shaken the least bit_? Plain curious now, Kuroro asked, "Then why?"

"I was more afraid of you getting hurt."

There was something that tugged at Kuroro Lucifer's chest. He had to beat that strange feeling down and passed it with his logic that he'd successfully gain Kurapika's trust and admiration of him. And even more, he'd become the center of Kurapika's universe. It did help that Kurapika didn't have anyone else, but then again, Kurapika wasn't at all the type to cling onto him just because he had no other choice.

Then there was as well the fact that they were so compatible. Kurapika took a liking in him, and Kuroro, was now aware that he did enjoy the boy's presence.

For the second time, he reached out a hand and placed it on the boy's head. The boy seemed to like it, and Kuroro himself…now learned he'd probably like it too. That soft sensation of the boy's hair that lingered ever since he first touched them.

"Thanks, but I'm fine," Kuroro said at last. An image of Ubo's hand moving towards Kurapika had bothered him. His comrade wouldn't hurt the boy without his permission. Still, as rough as Ubogin naturally was, Kuroro wouldn't even approve of him touching Kurapika at all. _'What's the point of risking breaking the boy now when he could become so much stronger to serve Genei Ryodan in the future, right?'_ He had to lay down another rule to the Kuruta boy. "Kurapika, you must never put yourself in that position again."

"Eh?" the boy frowned, not following the point.

"I meant with me. Don't use yourself to shield me from any kind of danger, or what you'd think of as danger. Never worry about me. I'm much stronger than you are, and you know that. Is that understood?"

"…Oh." Kurapika realized when he rushed to Kuroro he wasn't thinking at all. He just did. But true, Kuroro was much stronger than him. Not even sure if could stick to that rule, he nodded, "Okay, I understand."

"Good boy." The words, and how he had said it, was foreign on his tongue. Although he possessed a perfect and polished art of communication skills, so flawless that he could manipulate people with words alone, Kuroro was never a kid person. To encourage with words and compliments were far from his forte. Yet, it seemed to come a bit more natural of him when he directed the words to this certain Kuruta.

Good, he was learning something new as well.

"I had a long day. I'll retire to bed early today." Kuroro finally rose from his occupied seat and went about putting out the candles. "You've just probably woken up, but care to come along?"

"Yes." The boy agreed. Since weeks ago when he'd woken up without his memories, he'd been restless in his sleep most of the time. Once he found the earring, he was beginning to enjoy having a nap. Then he recalled something. "Thank you…for the blanket, Kuroro."

"Don't mention it," the man responded, meaning exactly what he said although he reckoned the boy might not get it still. He was the one who had to get used to the boy's politeness, now he didn't mind that much.

Kurapika eyed Kuroro, who looked like he really need to lie down then, and decided to postpone the question he wanted to ask for tomorrow.

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As far as he could look back, Kuroro had always been alone, save for the time with his comrades. The Spider members were free to come at his abode anytime. They were free to roam anywhere or stay in any room of his living quarters with the exception of the locked room and the tower on the 7th floor which was his room…and now Kurapika's as well.

His room wasn't that vast for two people in terms of space, given that a whole lot part of it was dominated by old texts but Kurapika happened to be the right size to fit in.

The last Kuruta boy was the first that Kuroro, despite himself, felt somewhat comfortable with. Not that his fellow Spiders _could_ make him feel otherwise but they were all wild people. Especially Nobunaga, Ubogin and Feitan - one little wrong move could result in a big commotion or worse, a fight. The ladies like Pakunoda and Machi, gave him no troubles like the guys did. But the fact that they were ladies who secretly _harbored _feelings for him hadn't made it any easier.

Kurapika was the opposite of them. He was well-mannered and considerate, both traits probably too much for his own good. Although it was apparent that he looked up at Kuroro as his ideal figure, he spoke his mind as individual without fear to stand his ground. Aside from that, the admiration the boy had for him was much easier to accept than the harbored feelings.

'_This is not bad.' _Kuroro thought as he regarded the boy across him going about preparing breakfast for the both of them while Kuroro simply waited at the makeshift table of wooden crates.

The boy had been doing this for a while, claiming he'd feel better to do things he could do since Kuroro had done more than enough for him. Kuroro had never expected this. But…never _ever _called the boy a housewife. Once, he'd only meant to tease the boy and once was enough. He had no idea it would tick the boy off that much. No matter how closed to a girl he looked, he was a boy after all. And a boy like Kurapika, who prided himself as a male, hated being treated like a girl. This kind of joke was no fun at all to Kurapika.

"Here you go," Kurapika served a plate of simple ham cheese sandwich for each of them; a glass of milk for him and a cup of tea for Kuroro.

Before all this, Kuroro hadn't had much for his food supplies. More often than not, he just went on about the day without having three proper meals. One was good enough for him, and he could even go for days without food at all. Since the boy came, he gave the boy three meals a day to help him recover. There were times the boy refused to eat, saying that he'd feel bad about being the only one eating. Kuroro ended up having meals with him.

Food wasn't scarce, or at least not for the Ryodan when they could take it from anyone. When the Ryodan was formed, they stopped stealing from other Ryuuseigai's citizen, but instead from any other places available. Else, Kuroro wouldn't be having tea or coffee here. These things were far from needed to survive, but when he took a sip of the tea Kurapika had made for him... _Bliss _

To have a proper -delicious even- breakfast on a peaceful Sunday morning; Kurapika started a conversation about the books he read the day before. He talked about his perception of it and how he'd like to know what Kuroro's thoughts were. It never occurred to him before that such a mundane, simple thing in a slow day with Kurapika was just…_nice._

_The irony of it all, he took everything away from the boy and now was now having a good time with him?_

Once they were done, Kurapika thought it was a good time to ask. "Kuroro."

"Hmm?" Kuroro could tell that something was up by the tone used. Whatever the boy was going to bring up as he reached into his pants pocket, was probably going to be important.

"Yesterday I found this on the stairs of 5th floor," the boy held out the violet drop earring to Kuroro.

Realization dawned on Kuroro. _An earring of the Kuruta. _The day before, Kuroro had two pairs of the flame-colored eyes moved out of the locked room and taken to the Black Market outside Ryuuseigai. He needed that huge amount of money…for Ryuuseigai. The earring must have come along with the mess and had fallen out during the move. _How careless of him. _His face not giving anything away, he waited for what the boy would have to say.

"Do you know who it belongs to? Could it be one of the items you've retrieved from the stolen assets?" the boy questioned.

"Let me see," Kuroro feigned no knowledge of the earring as he took the object and gave a brief observation. He shook his head. "Not that I know of. It must have been part of the other assets I've retrieved. Although it's amethyst, I don't think it's of any value."

'_Not any value?' _Kuroro's valuation of the object nipped Kurapika's heart but he didn't voice it out. Kuroro knew about these things much more than him and Kurapika couldn't care less about its valuation in terms of price. What he cared was the luxury of peace of mind that the earring was providing him. Therefore, he asked with anticipation. "Then…can I keep it?"

Kuroro was about to tell him to just throw it away by the time he handed it back to the boy. Better not risk letting him keep the object that might one day recover his memory. As far as he was concerned, Kurapika had no interested in jewelries, or any kind of valuable items for that matter. _This was unexpected._ "Why would you want it?"

Green eyes dropped a gaze upon the earring, and Kurapika reminisced. "The first time I touched it, there was a flash of an image in my mind. It was a woman with blond hair, and green eyes. Although her hair color is light brown, she does look very similar to me."

'_Not good. The object already did its job with the kid's memory.' _A thought ran in Kuroro's mind though he kept his expression neutral as always. "You think she's related to you?"

"I would even go as far as _believing_ she's my mother." Kurapika's word carried a whole load of conviction as he continued, "She's wearing this earring, but the image was brief. No matter how hard I tried to recall it again, nothing comes…only pain."

When Kuroro shifted a bit, Kurapika hurriedly put the last issue aside, "But I'm fine now! It was only a brief headache anyways." He'd been sick too much; he didn't want to burden the man with it.

Faking it or not, Kuroro had looked concern.

Kuroro nodded, acknowledging that and let it passed. His mind began to work on the main issue at hand. The woman Kurapika had described was definitely the boy's mother. She…kind of stood out among other Kuruta, and yes, her son did stood out a whole lot more. Kuroro remembered that, and he lied, "I wouldn't know about that. As I've said you were abandoned. Why bother about the past? Is the way things are now _not _good enough for you?" It came out as a bit of biting tone, harder than Kuroro had intended to.

A shocked look on Kurapika's face faded into a saddened one, which again, bothered him. This wasn't the first time Kuroro came across a person with no previous memories of their being abandoned in Ryuusegai. He had _never_ have togive a damn about anyone's lost memories before. He wouldn't be able to understand this kid's situation…or feelings.

"It's good, really. I am happy to be with you." The boy green eyes bore into Kuroro's jet black ones. Then they lowered to the earring in his hands. "But…I don't know why. When I hold onto this earring, I just feel at ease…even comfort. And that woman, whom I believe to be my mother, was smiling so kindly…at me, even in my dream." He looked back up at the man and was relieved to find Kuroro's slight hardened expression earlier now relaxed.

_So the earring didn't jolt that much of his memory, but the connection there was obvious enough to direct to the boy's mind. _It was a wonder. His presence didn't jolt the boy's memory, neither did a spider nor Ubogin's roar (given that he was the loudest whence massacring the Kurutas).

_And even in his dream? _As far as Kuroro knew, Kurapika's buried memories had never resurfaced in a form of nightmare. Sure the boy was restless in his sleep, but it had never been a recollection of his clan's massacre. _How fortunate that was. _

Kuroro's eyes narrowed as he observed the boy. _'So he didn't even remember the last time he saw her. Where she carried him to safety and sacrificed herself protecting him. It seems like his unconscious mind is only opening up to good memories.' _Just as he had thought, the boy's defense mechanism was still working hard.

"Ah," The boy perked up a bit, saying, "and it helps me with the concentration when I train swords. It might sound ridiculous but I really feel that I'm doing better when I'm holding on to it."

Kuroro raised his eyebrow again. _Really? Did the little petty thing help that much? _But if it did then it'd be a best reason for him to allow the boy to hang onto it. "If it makes you feel better then you may keep it. But if it ever brings you pains regarding the past, you have to let it go." There, he even made it sound like he had been looking out for the boy's best interest.

Breaking into a smile, Kurapika fisted the object in his hand. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me." _'That belongs to your clan anyways.' _Kuroro could only hope that the earring would _not _do more than what it had already _done. _"Now, how have you been doing with your sword training? If you claim to be better when having that earring around, care to show me?"

_How enthusiastic of him. _

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To say he was surprised wasn't exactly the right term. Yet this boy kept him on the edge of his seat, so to say. While he was expecting the boy to be able to fight well, Kurapika just kept falling and stumbling. When he almost gave up on him and thought about wasting away the boy, Kurapika just turned tables and showed off how good he could be.

Now was no different.

'_The earring really did help that much. Or was it a mere coincidence that Kurapika had just nailed it in a matter of one day that I was away?' _Kuroro wondered as he received blow after blow from the boy's wooden swords using his bare hands. The boy's charging had become stronger, swift and much better in timing. When Kuroro returned him with sudden counter attacks, the boy had had better reflexes and managed to dodge and block most of it. His body seemed more natural and agile. In times of backing out, the boy held almost perfect stances, reducing openings by a whole lot less than he did on the first few weeks.

If times before Kuroro hadn't realized he was smiling, he was well aware that at any moment now his lips might resembled a Cheshire cat. _That _would freak anyone out…but anyhow.

"This is what I'm talking about, Kurapika," he complimented.

"Heh heh," the boy's laugh with a so much lighter mood.

Kuroro found a liking to that voice.

An hour later, when Kuroro deemed it good enough for the day, they seated themselves against the large tree trunks. Kurapika panted heavily while brushing away the streams of sweat while he eyed Kuroro, who looked like he was just chilling out. He couldn't help asking, "Do you ever break a sweat at all?

Unexpected even to himself, Kuroro "pfft-ed" then turning a smirking face to the boy. "Of course I have. I'm human, after all."

"Hmm? Really? Sometimes I just forget that you are one," the boy sneered, playing along.

It was meant to be a joke, yet Kuroro had come across many with that perception. The Kurutas, among the massacre ground, was one of them.

'_MONSTER!' _Their curse was nothing to him. It was true, analogically. Kurapika just had no idea.

"Ah!" A soft yelp that Kurapika made had him blinked out of his thoughts. The boy had his hands pulling the cloth of his pants pocket inside out. _His _earring must have lost sometimes during the spar. When the boy got himself up in search for the object, Kuroro offered a helping hand.

It didn't take long for Kuroro to spot it on the grass about their training ground. "Found it," he said while holding out the object to the boy who rushed over with relief. On second thought, Kuroro refused to let go of the earring. When the boy's turn a questioning eyes at him, he suggested, "Why don't you put it on?"

"Eh?" the boy made a face.

"Unless if you want to pocket it well enough, the best way to avoid losing it again is to put it on," he insisted.

Fidgeting a little, Kurapika asked, "Isn't earrings only for girls?"

It was a second time in a day where Kuroro "Pfft-ed." _This boy sure cared a whole lot about his manliness. _"Doesn't matter these days. I'm even thinking of getting a pair of blue Sapphire earrings myself."

The boy gave it a thought, then he nodded, "Okay, I don't want to keep losing it. But I wouldn't know how to put it on."

"Here, let me," Kuroro bent down a bit, his hand tucking away the blond strands behind Kurapika's left ear. He had not given thought to whether it should be left or right, but the boy's hand holding the hair in place to give Kuroro access said he was good with that. Kuroro warned, "It's going to sting a bit."

"Okay."

And there, Kurapika already had it on. He hadn't felt any stinging as he had expected. Not one bit. "You're just good with everything, aren't you? I didn't even feel a thing," he trailed off.

A brief look of un-expectation ran across Kuroro's face. Kurapika must not have known but Kuroro didn't realize he had used a bit of his skill on that. Depending on the circumstances, he'd offered painless deaths before. This ear piercing was nothing.

"I guess so," Kuroro half-heartedly feigned modesty. And for the genuine interest, he tilted the boy's chin up to face him. He remarked, "Suits you."

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**Note: **No cliffhanger for this one, ne? (But nothing too excited here as well). Honestly, I feel bad about making Carry On a cliffhanger " I myself really want to write the next chapter for CO too. Geez, and I just found out the plot book I have with me only have half the plot for this fic as well. I just recalled I have more detail in another notebook. But since this fic would go on for a while, I guess I can keep working on it until I get back to that notebook and whatever is in that notebook I could work on it in later chapters :D

Not sure if my writing style change, or probably it's just this chapter that comes with the lighter mood. Kuroro and Kurapika having breakfast, eh? But hey! It takes place 5 years before the Kuroro we knew today and I think Kuroro does have a playful side of his. But yeah, please let me know what you think :D


	4. Ch 4 Manhunt Part 1

Honestly, I wasn't all that enthusiastic about working on this fic after the latest chapter was posted. This is the only KuroKura fic that the number of readers favoriting and following it are much more than readers who review it. I've said it before and I'll say it again that it's sort of discouraging :( It sounds whiny but if you're an author, you'll understand, which I think is not the case. This story is much more difficult to write than TSASAN and CO. I enjoy having to research and writing it, and hope you enjoy it too if you're following/favving it.

Please do review.

_**Special thanks:**__Crimsonpheonix271 for beta reading; _

_Kusarihime and moonlessroad for observant reviews that encouraged me to have enough effort to work on this chapter, knowing someone like the story in there._

_A guest who reviewed in CO, saying this fic is your favorite. I'm glad that at least someone is in favor of this fic among all the other KuroKura fics I'm writing. And sorry it took so long for this chapter._

_And of course everyone who had reviewed _

**Chapter 4: Manhunt Part 1**

With hands clasped, Kuroro sat observing Kurapika who was training, a faint smile gracing his lips. The boy was good...good enough for him to keep this going. Another three weeks had rolled by when Kuroro noticed that the boy seemed to hit the limit and couldn't go any further. However time was abundant and Kurapika had made remarkable progress, as if making up for his prior lethargic improvement. He didn't want to overdo it.

He watched as the boy came to a pause in his sword practice. The boy's chest puffing in and out trying to regain his breath. Beads of sweat trailed down his rosy cheeks as those small pale hands wiped them away. His white training garments clung to his small frame. Then Kuroro became aware of how he had been observing the boy a little _too_ _closely_.

Meandering in, Kurapika sat himself on the tree trunk on the right of him. When Kuroro handed over the bottle of water, he took it with a small 'thank you' and emptied it in one go.

"Good Kurapika, you made progress and learned not to overdo it." Kuroro commented, noting this out loud to the boy; normally the boy would never take a break unless he called for it.

Kurapika nodded in acknowledgment as he looked at the man who merely gazed ahead in his usual detached manner. He couldn't understand why the admiration for the man was growing, even in moments when nothing significant was happening, like right now.

Although Kurapika never remembered anyone he had met before, his knowledge of the surrounding world remained. Kids at his age would feel more comfortable with adults who gave them constant praise and approval, but Kurapika knew he'd feel different had it been anyone else who had showered praise and compliments, even more than the amount that Kuroro gave.

He was comfortable with Kuroro.

From the corner of his eye, Kuroro noticed how the boy was absentmindedly hefting the sword in his hand. It looked like the boy actually knew how to handle a sword now. Sighting the earring in the boy's left ear made him think again. Kurapika believed that the earring sharpened his concentration; however Kuroro concluded that it probably jogged his familiarity with swords.

One more thing that the earring did to Kurapika, aside from jogging the memory of his mother.

Kuroro was aware of this risk, but to him it was small. There were times when he just wanted to see how things would turn out rather than him controlling them all the time and this was one such time.

"Kuroro..." Kurapika hesitated, not making eye contact; instead he was looking at his feet. And talking about risk, he had a feeling that he wasn't going to like what the boy was going to ask next. Nevertheless, he responded, "Hmm?"

"Do you think... you could show me where I was thrown in Ryuuseigai at first?"

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Along the way, Kurapika was less afraid than before, but he would never get used to the sick feeling in his gut whenever he saw the sight of half dead people on the ground.

"These people are ready to die," was what Kuroro had drilled into him. True, otherwise they wouldn't be lying around doing nothing other than waiting for the end. "It's the people who keep struggling to live that are worth your attention." There was no denying the truth of that fact, though Kurapika found it a bit...heartless.

So far, he'd learned a little bit about Ryuuseigai from Kuroro. Kurapika had read a large amount of history books but none of them contained anything about Ryuuseigai. He kept wondering if there was more to this city...probably not. After all, according to Kuroro, this place didn't exist in society after all.

They arrived at the outer suburb where an endless pile of junk stretched out in front of him as far as he could see. He pressed a hand to cover his nose and mouth when the foul smell from the garbage floated over with the wind. A faint line of black smoke, coming from some of the piles, raised into the grey sky.

It wouldn't have been that bad given that this was a city of junk, but with the bodies littered around with all the garbage, it was worse than the city. It made Kurapika's stomach churn; he wanted to retch but stood his ground.

A high pitched cry pierced the air. His green eyes darted to the voice; slight terror gripped his heart when he saw that even a baby had been abandoned here. It was alive, but was nearing death if no-one did anything about it. His feet started moving towards it but a strong hand gripped his shoulder, keeping him in place. Kurapika glanced up with a disconsolate expression, meeting Kuroro's stoic eyes.

"What did I tell you?" The man reminded him, waiting.

Dejected, Kurapika had to repeat his realization, "I'm not allowed to pick up 'anyone' at all. That was the condition for me to be shown this place.

"I expect you to keep to your words, Kurapika." Kuroro warned, his eyes staring into the boy for a brief moment before they looked off towards the baby. "Even if we don't do anything about it, someone else will. If not, then it is its fate."

Kuroro's icy words sent chills down Kurapika's spine.

"You've seen enough. We'll leave now." With a slight force, Kuroro steered the boy away from the dumping ground. Without further ado, Kurapika complied. Feeling a small hand clamping down on his clothes, he looked down to see the boy's expression shaken.

"Was I...like that too? I was among the littered bodies?" Kurapika asked with a trembling voice, his eyes unfocused out of fear.

"Yeah," Kuroro responded with a flat tone, his eyes looking ahead of them. _'It's true; I picked you up from amongst your dead people.'_ He thought, _'A little false statement wouldn't hurt.' _"...You weren't half-dead though, just out cold."

The boy's expression changed with the slightest bit of relief, with the knowledge that whatever or whoever dumped him here didn't take half of his life prior to dumping him, which was a bit consoling in some ways.

"And when you woke up, you were _determined _to live." _'Half-true, you were determined to kill me.' _"That's why I took you in." Kuroro smiled down at the boy who looked up at him as well. He continued with these invented lies he had told the boy on the first day that they had taken him in. "Too bad you forgot about it, but you're pretty much the same as you were before." He said that last point, heeding off the boy's upcoming question.

"So the first time, they made me forget. The second time…I lost my memory because I was attacked by a monster," the boy noted, like a reminder to himself.

Kuroro nodded in confirmation. He wasn't entirely lying about that too. According to the Kuruta, The Genei Ryodan were monsters. He knew the boy was going to ask about these monsters next. "The monsters loiter in far outskirt of Ryuuseigai." And the next one too, "You were out there because you wanted to find out about yourself. I managed to make it in time before the monster finished you off, but the damage upon you had already been done. Though you were lucky enough your head wasn't physically hurt.

Speechless, Kurapika gave it a thought. He couldn't recall anything for the life of him. He sighed, "So the old me wanted to remember as well?"

Kuroro nodded. It would be easier if he crafted a story in which Kurapika, prior to his lost memories had no interest in finding out about his past, but if this went according to his prediction…

"That's why you want me to forget," the boy said with realization.

"Exactly," Kuroro responded, his spoken word mirroring his inner thoughts. Before long, the boy was going to feel guilty over having troubled him.

"I'm sorry, Kuroro –"

Kuroro cut him off, "Don't mention it. What's done is done," He needed not to hear an apology that wasn't meant for him. He just needed the boy to rethink about his situation and his future plan. He then continued in a cold and authoritative tone, "but I don't want you to bring me that kind of trouble again."

Kuroro stopped walking and crouched, so that they were eye level. "I want you to think about it. If you _still _want to go out there and find out about your past that badly…you let me know, rather than running off like last time. This time, I won't stop you but you're on your _own_."

By now, he no longer took the boy as a dependent type, but the attachment the boy had for him was obvious. He knew what Kurapika was going to choose. Yet, much to his surprise, an unfamiliar, strange feeling stung him at the hurt look that appeared on the boy's face.

"I…I won't do it again." The boy said, his expression filled with the shame that was unknowingly undeserved. "I have no idea what my past self was like. But…" he paused, brows knitted deep in thought before he looked Kuroro in the eyes, saying, "I know now…I wouldn't want to be in any other place than…next to you." Then his head jerked up a little, as if he was surprised by his own words, he stammered out, "If that's okay with you!"

Satisfied that his lies had just paid off again, Kuroro dropped his authoritative gestures and gave the boy a reassuring smile. "I was hoping you'd say that. And I'd prefer you stay with me over you going off on your own; at the very least, until you are strong enough." _'If not, then what's the point of dedicating my time on you?'_

The boy broke into a bright smile. "Thank you, Kuroro. I really owe you big time. I will repay this debt someday. "

That grateful smile was too much for him. Kuroro was forced to turn away, rise, and resume walking in his detached manner. "If you'd like to repay me, then be stronger, mentally and physically."

Kurapika fell into step beside the man, nodding his head. "I will!"

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As usual, Kuroro had to stop by the city. This time he allowed Kurapika to wonder off a bit, seeing as the boy was strong enough to protect himself. With the one rule he laid down, "Don't play hero again. Never leap into battle that you can't win," to which Kurapika nodded his acceptance but Kuroro doubted that the kid would keep it.

It didn't bother him though, the boy wasn't defenseless and it was only for half an hour. Sooner or later the boy must be able to function completely on his own. When that time came, Kuroro would no longer have Kurapika in his room.

Walking around the Town Hall that Kuroro had entered, Kurapika kept his eyes open. His mind wondered off again. He wanted to know more, about this city, about the outside world. Before long, his mind had wondered to the point where he questioned about his past. Then he had to slap his cheeks with both hands and scold himself, not allowing his mind to go beyond that boundary.

He had to forget about it, he'd bothered Kuroro enough with that matter. He now knew Kuroro was more important to him than the past. As soon as that thought crossed his mind, his left hand absentmindedly reached up to pick at his earring. Doubt filled him. _'Is that really true?' _

Green eyes went blank for a moment before they caught on the bluish-violet that stood out from afar. He recognized that hair color… it belonged to the young lady, Kuroro's comrade. He recalled the name, "Machi, wasn't it?"

She was heading the opposite direction of the Town Hall. Kurapika didn't think about what business she might have had. She was probably just taking a walk. He felt the sudden urge to say something to her: a greeting, a simple question to start some sort of conversation. If by any chance she was looking for Kuroro, then he could be helpful.

At least expand his boundary of knowledge about Ryuuseigai…and Kuroro.

He decided to set off after her, glancing back at the Town Hall with a thought to make it back before the due time. Once he turned back to Machi, she was already far off.

'_She's fast!' _Kurapika thought as he picked up his pace.

Through the mingling people, the lady marched with purpose. By now Kurapika could tell she wasn't just going for a walk. Even if he had called out, his voice wouldn't have reached her. Yet Kurapika found himself keeping up with her, although not catching up. Going after her, he moved from this building to that building.

And finally, not only had he lost sight of her, but he himself was also lost.

"No way…" he trailed off airily as he looked around, trying to remember the directions. Ryuuseigai's city was too complex with all the half collapsed buildings and ruins around. It wasn't going to be easy to get back. _'What have I gotten myself into!? Why didn't I think before I left!?' _

"Hey, little one…" a leering voice from behind cut into his thoughts.

Alarmed, Kurapika spun around to face a brawn man more than twice his size. Not only one, but there was another two behind him. It was a typical gang of thugs…one leader and two underlings. With one look he knew they weren't going to be friendly. He had to run.

"Oh, it's a girl, and a pretty one at that." The leader whistled while the underlings started to snicker at that and added, "Why don't you keep us company?"

_That _threw away Kurapika's initial thought of running. Provoked, he growled, "I'm not!"

The trio's expression turned dumbstruck upon hearing the boy's voice. Then one of them broke into a laugh, "We've been duped, but-" he bent down to level his face with the blonde and roughly grabbed Kurapika by the arm. "You _do _look like a girl."

"Let go!" the boy snarled but the grip only tightened, so tight that it was hurting him. "I warn you, let go, or else-"

"Or else what, hmm?" Then the goon drew back, surprised. "What the?"

The other two looked at what was happening and then shared identical expression to their leader. One of them muttered out, "His eyes…"

It was the leader that brushed it off, "Doesn't matter about his eyes when he looks like a little girl." He drew closer to the blond and breathed, "I bet you could make guys like us feel-" he finished a sentence with a loud, pained yelp upon receiving a smash across his face. The leader stumbled back, along with the other two before rebalancing and all of them tried to make sense of what had just happened.

The blond boy dropped into a fighting stance, his hands fastened onto his wooden swords.

The leader clutched his face with so much anger rising on it; he barked angrily, "Get him!"

In a split second, Kurapika was gripped by panic with the thought of what he had gotten himself into. They were three built men. Was he going to make it? A sudden thought of Kuroro flashed in his mind. _'But Kuroro isn't here. I can't rely on him all the time!'_

Shaking off the fear, he sidestepped to avoid the first man diving at him while using his small physique as an advantage to roll through the gap between two men on his right. Kurapika spun back and slammed his wooden swords into the back of the man's neck. To his surprise, the man went down. With a quick step he allowed no time for the man on his left to regain himself. He repeated the feat, another one went down.

Kurapika was stunned. He hadn't expected that one hit was enough to take them down. Yet he was aware that he still had one more thug to deal with. Out the corner of his eye he noticed the oncoming blow from the man behind him; he knew he wasn't going to dodge it in time. Kurapika moved the wooden sword to his side in time for the goon's fist to hit it. His defense had reduced the impact, yet it wasn't enough to stop him sending his small frame flying a meter through the air then crashing to the ground.

His assailant closed in on him with a hiss, "Take this, brat!"

Above him, the man's foot was coming down. Kurapika rolled off to the side but kept his distance. He sprung up to kick the back of the goon's knee, throwing him forward and off his feet. Before the man's face connected to the earth, Kurapika slammed his sword down the back of his neck, sending him into the same fate as the other two.

The commotion came to an end, everything around him falling silent. The only audible thing was the sound of his heavy breathing.

His eyes fixed on the prone form as he tried to regain his senses. He looked down at his hands, they were trembling. He had been scared to death. At the same time, he was surprised. He hadn't expected himself to be able enough to do that; fast and without getting too badly injured.

'_Injured?' _It was then that he felt the pain began to sear into his sides. _'Not good,'_ he thought, _'but it could have been worse.' _A small smile crept onto his lips, he was a little bit proud of his win. Kuroro, though, wasn't going to be happy once he knew about what he had brought upon himself.

Putting his weapon aside, he decided to just head off rather than staying any longer. He would just have to guess the direction. Moving from one building to another again, he realized the path he was on was littered metal junk, obviously not the path he'd been on before. He was further from where he was supposed to be.

There were people around each collapsed building, which relieved Kurapika, since it looked like they were just minding their own businesses. But still, the previous happening left him a bit shaken and he didn't think Ryuuseigai was a place where he could just ask for directions. He kept walking until he came upon an open space. In front of him sat a tall building from which the evening sun shone its light.

It was getting late. The dark clouds and grey sky on the horizon indicated that it looked like it was going to rain soon.

With the fresh knowledge that Kuroro warned him not to bring him this kind of trouble, Kurapika couldn't help but began to worry. _'Is he going to be mad at me?' _

A sudden loud sound, like some kind of engine explosion, came in from behind the tall building right in front of him, followed by a deafening screams of people.

Kurapika felt his nerves tighten at the sound. Before him, hundreds of people were emerging from that tall building. They streamed down towards him, obviously fleeing from something.

Not in his perfect condition, Kurapika couldn't help but stagger about. It wasn't long before he found himself caught in the middle of the running crowd. He clutched to his side with the impact. Then he decided that wherever these people were running to, he should probably go along with them and not face whatever it was they were running from.

But it was too late.

A loud gun shot rang out in the direction that Kurapika was moving towards, then the movement around him stopped. They were all surrounded by men that managed to round up the crowds from the other end. The men wore white scientist suits with the gas mask, ushering the people with the point of their machine guns.

"Move!" They yelled.

Someone did try to run from them, and a gunshot pierced the air, followed by a scream of terror.

Kurapika was right in the middle of two hundred or so people. If the previous incident had scared him, it now paled in comparison to this. Shaken to his core, his lips trembled as he managed to force the words out, "What…what's happening?"

"Manhunt," the man next to him supplied.

"Who are they?"

"Mafia."

Kurapika didn't dare ask another question. He knew what _manhunt _and _mafia _stood for. He looked around; the Ryuuseigai citizen's faces were etched with varying degrees of terror and anger. It seemed they knew very well what was going on; it even seemed like this had happened before.

Going against these people was futile, that much he could tell.

Minutes later, a group of people around Kurapika was ushered back to the spot where they had been running from, behind that tall building. Once on the other side of the building, Kurapika could see through a gap in the people. They were now in a vast open space, like the dumping ground Kuroro had shown him but this one seemed to consist a different kind of junk, mostly metals, as far as Kurapika could see. Further ahead sat some kind of air transportation, an airship?

Right in front of an airship entrance, the white-suited men with guns were ushering people in. The sound of gunshot rang out from time to time. Every so often, it was a followed by a scream, and a yell to shut up.

They all hit Kurapika's nerves, badly.

Among all the things that were happening around him, a sudden image flashed in his mind. _A village, the hunt, and the screams of terror. _

"Hey kid, snap out of it! They only want a man who can fight; they'll let you go later. Just don't run or they'll open fire."

The man who had answered to his question earlier seemed to have taken pity on him. Yet the man drew back with a weird expression on his face. "What's wrong with your eyes?"

"Eyes?" the boy echoed, his mind blank.

"They're red," the man remarked but didn't give it much thought in given the situation.

"Eh?" Kurapika had no idea what the other was talking about; but somehow recalled those hoodlums saying something about his eyes as well.

Another gun shot rang out. Kurapika flinched and knew he was losing it. "No…no…I'm not supposed to be here…Ku-" He wanted Kuroro. Yet a part of him kicked himself mentally to get a grip. _'He's not here. I'll only have to go back to him…I have to!'_ Grabbing his earring for support, he tried to collect himself. It took a whole lot of effort not to lose his head now. Unbeknownst to him and the others, his eyes turned back to their normal shades of green. The man had just said he had a chance of surviving. Yet he had to know even if he feared the answer. "Why do they…want a man who can fight?"

"They'll use them as their weapon, to commit their crime outside Ryuuseigai."

Fear seized him again, a moment ago, he just brought down three men. Would they count him in?

By the time the people in front of Kurapika thinned out, having been forced into the airship or shot dead, Kurapika was pushed to the front of the line. His eyes widen at the sight of the young lady standing in front of the airship.

Machi.

Three guns were pointed at her as the gunmen had a conversation over her.

"She's sure good to sell. _They _would pay a whole damn lot for this kind of pretty face." One of them said as he tilted Machi's chin with the muzzle of his machine gun.

Anger rose within Kurapika. Being thirteen, he knew where this was going. He questioned the man next to him. "Didn't they want only a man who could fight?"

"Well, they take _extras _aside from the men too. Poor girl." The man said with a shrug, but his tone touched with sympathy with his last two words.

Kurapika watched as Machi's expressionless face turned hostile. Of course she would be angry. Even Kurapika's anger was still fresh in his mind when those three men rounded on him. But Machi was a girl, probably not that much older than him. Above all else, she was Kuroro's comrade.

"Hey, kid!"

Kurapika didn't hear himself being called. He wasn't thinking as he dove right in…putting himself between Machi and the man in front of her. Wooden swords already in his hands, he snarled at the man, "Leave her alone!"

Behind Kurapika, Machi was stunned, despite being cold usually. She remembered this kid well. Last time she had seen him was when her Danchou introduced him to them. She last heard that Danchou was still training him. The question as to how this kid was here could be answered later.

The gun barrel shifted from Machi to Kurapika who froze momentarily but didn't back down.

"What the hell? A kid? Get lost or you're dead!"

Eyes locking with the gun, Kurapika's mind screamed at him. _What had he gotten himself into!? _These men had guns. What were the chances of winning or getting out alive at least? _Zero._ A sudden thought of death occurred to him. They would without a doubt shoot him right at the spot. Two things came across his mind. One, he'd never learned about his past, two…he'd never be able to repay Kuroro. Fear of death almost paralyzed him if not for the hand that came down on his shoulder and steered him backward.

For some reason, Machi felt an obligation not to let this kid to get hurt. If her Danchou was raising Kurapika to become a Spider, then it was a good reason for her to get this kid out of the mess he'd just thrown himself into…for her. Despite that, deep down inside, obligation didn't have a role, it was her feelings. This kid at the moment reminded her of certain someone she had sworn her lifetime loyalty to.

"Let him go, I'll go with you," She said.

Upon that, Kurapika spun back to her. "No, you can't!"

Machi hissed at him. If this boy hadn't thrown himself into this, she could have went on with her plan or escaped on her own, three guns or more pointing at her or not. This kid just added to her baggage.

Having prolonged this than the time he was allowed, the man cocked the barrel of his gun to Kurapika's face. The sound of the safety unlocking made the boy's green eyes turn red and he didn't even blink when a gunshot rang out.

_BANG!_

Kurapika never felt the impact. From his line of vision, the gun was steered away to his left when it fired…by what seemed like..._thread_?

Another two gun shots sounded from behind. Aware that Machi was behind him, he spun around, fearing for her safety. He met with the same sight. The guns that the two men were holding were steered to the right. Kurapika's eyes caught sight of thin thread wrapped around the guns. Those threads, as he now saw, were connected to Machi's outstretched hand.

'_What the?' _Were his eyes playing tricks on him?

The guns then were yanked from the three surpised men and were thrown in the midst of the equally surprised Ryuuseigai citizens, pretty much where Kurapika had been standing earlier.

There was no time for Kurapika to think as a hand caught him by the back of his shirt and he was pulled high up in the air by the time the gunshots splayed. He glanced down and the three men who had surrounded him and Machi earlier fell down, lifeless. Silence Followed.

The next thing he knew, he was dropped onto a surface. The impact had him clutching his sides which still hurt. He found himself on the ledge of the airship. Now he could see the ground below. He wondered, _'Did Machi really jump this high!?' _he looked at the lady. Machi stared back at him as she commanded tonelessly, "Be on your guard."

Just as Machi said that, a round of gunshots tore through the air, breaking that short silence. The death of the men in white must have set off a chain reaction with all the other guns belonging to other men. Out of instinct, Kurapika ducked low. To his side, Machi was also crouching; her eyes were too calm or too cold for this kind of situation.

Looking down from his vantage point, taking care not to poke his head out too much, he saw three of the Ryuuseigai citizens, one being the man that had been providing answers to his questions, holding the Mafia's guns, attacking back.

'_But there are only three of them! How are they going to fight back and win?'_

His attention aimed below again, Kurapika counted six other white suited men were down. Their guns now in the hands of more citizens, backing up the fight of their own people.

But then that man, who had been kind enough to answer his questions, was gunned down. Shocked, Kurapika shifted closer. _Should he help them?_

A hand gripped his shoulder, yanking him back hard. Kurapika was met with the sight of a livid Machi. "Didn't I tell you to be on guard?"

As if the gun splay were not enough, a loud explosion broke out beneath them.

Machi gave another hiss. _It had been a while since they last used explosive device_.

Seconds later, the ledge they were on shook. The fact that the Mafia's transportation was effected by the explosion meant Ryuuseigai citizen down below and those in the airship must have gotten their hands on explosives as well. This was getting out of control.

It didn't take long for the ledge to creak as it swayed. With his side still throbbing with pain, Kurapika failed to regain his balance. He lost his footing and fell…off the ledge.

He saw it. It was war down there and he was going to fall right into it.

'_What?'_

Kurapika felt something wrapping around him. He could tell by the sensation that it was thread again. Next he was pulled up to Machi, her outstretched hand yanking him back while her other hand clutched to Kurapika's torso, pulling him to her side.

The muffled yelp from the boy was audible, she was aware he had been in pain since earlier but couldn't care less. As soon as she had that thought, she had to leap from the ledge.

Another explosion ripped through the air. Kurapika, who had been clutching to Machi, helplessly stared as the place they had been earlier was blown to smithereens. The shockwave from the blast threw them both.

The flying metal pieces followed, one of its shards piercing Machi's hand, forcing her to let go of the boy. She had intended to pull him back but a thick screen of smoke blinded her. She hissed, she would have to land on the ground below first.

_But then…wouldn't that be too late for her to save Kurapika?_

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the cloud of smoke, Kurapika couldn't see anything as he descended through the air. He thought he was going to die, again. _'This sense of falling, did I feel this way when I was first tossed into the Ryuuseigai's dumping ground?'_

He could never recall.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Note: **Cliff-hanger again? ^^" This too, won't be long to update as I've almost finish the second part already. Just need to clean it up. I planned to have Manhunt in one chapter but the pages hit 30 or so. Thus, I have to separate it.


	5. Ch 5 Manhunt Part 2

**Note: **I can't recall exactly when have I finished writing this chapter. But it's been more than a month. I can remember writing the beginning of this chapter back in Melbourne like two months ago.

This chapter had just been beta-ed on the 7th. Yup, got the chapter edited after I posted it without beta. *sighs* anyhow, I'm still looking for another beta reader. Because I still got _that _feeling. If anyone would like to volunteer for beta reading this fic, I'd appreciate. In return, I could write a short fic or draw for you to reciprocate. Any small help is welcomed too. Spot my wrong English usage anywhere, let me know?

Anyone still with me? So far, thanks for reviewing and please visit my FB fanpage via my profile for random updates :) Thanks!

_Special thanks**:**__Crimsonpheonix271 for beta reading_

**Chapter 5 Manhunt Part II**

Gunfire erupted and, along with the sounds of human agony, pulsed against his eardrum. The hot air burnt his skin but before long, Kurapika felt a drop on his face.  
It had begun to rain.

_Why…? This carnage….and this rain…._

Kurapika felt something inside of his mind stir.

But before it came to him, his body slammed into something that was much softer than what the ground should have felt like. Two strong hands held him. He remembered this familiarity…_'Eh?'_

Tilting his head up, through his half-blinded eyes by the smoke, the first thing he could make out was the familiar cross-shaped tattoo. Then the raven-hair and the jet black eyes, peering down at him with a light frown.

Every fiber of Kurapika's being filled with relief.

Kuroro was here.

Kurapika had to suppress the urge to throw himself at the man, even though Kuroro already had an armful of him. The man had broken his fall.

"Ku-" was all Kurapika could manage as his lips trembled. He felt like he was about to cry, but he couldn't afford to break down now.

"Are you hurt?" Kuroro issued as he lowered the both of them to the ground in order to avoid the hail of lead that continued unabated in the rain.

His eyes red, his vision blurred, his sides hurt, his ears throbbed with pain from the up close blast, not to mention this unending carnage that drowned out the screams. Not to mention the recent concussion, yet Kurapika stood his ground. He shook his head even when that was giving him headache. He wouldn't appear weak, especially not in front of Kuroro.

Once he gained back his senses, he realized, "Machi! She's here! She…!"

Kuroro had to grab the frantic boy by the shoulder and assured, "Machi's safe. My other comrade has got her." Kuroro watched his face washed with another relief, then shifted back to another horror when another explosion went out. The man hauled him onto his shoulder and tightened his grip behind the boy's knee. He commanded, "We have to get out, watch my back."

"O...Okay!" Kurapika responded, still disarrayed but forced himself to pull it together. As to how Kuroro had gotten there had yet to be answered. But all that mattered now was that Kuroro was here…and he was certain that they would make it out alive.

Kuroro surged through the crowd. Far off, Kurapika could make out through the acrid smoke that the engine of the airship which roared before it was engulfed in a blazing wash of fire. Ryuuseigai citizens were pouring out from it, behind them the men in white were gunning them down. Bodies ripped apart where they stood. The manhunt seemed to be becoming more like a killing spree.

Kurapika stared at the carnage. He was sickened to the core yet unable to turn away.

There was a violent double explosion that went off. Kurapika sensed a threat but Kuroro had leapt high in the air before he had given a warning. They landed on the other side, closing to the escape route out of this bloodbath. Kurapika felt Kuroro shoot a look back. As calculated, the very spot they were before went off with another explosion. The pieces that had once been bodies splayed up and about in all directions. Flesh and blood splattered on his face. A gasp escaped his lips, then his body went still.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

It wasn't long until they made it out of the hunting ground. Kuroro had taken down the men that were in their way out. He had to, regardless of Kurapika going into shock and noticing. The sound of gunfire and explosion that filled the air faded every miles he made further. The screams began to fade into the background.

Only when they reached the vicinity of the Town Hall did Kuroro slow down and came to a halt. The area was littered with refugees from the recent carnage. Some of them injured, most of them crying in agony, a lesser of them were relieved that they had made it out.

He wanted to bring the boy straight back home but he felt the kid had been too still for a while. He would have to check Kurapika's mental state first. Under the shade of a big tree where no one was, Kuroro walked and set the boy down against the tree trunk. He wasn't surprised to see the terror-stricken look on the boy's face.

The eyes…so red…and so beautiful that at one brief second, Kuroro wanted to have them plucked out and into a container just for his own viewing pleasure. He had to resist that idea. This boy would become of much use more than that.

He waved a hand in front of those scarlet eyes; the eyes just stared blankly at nothing. He gripped the boy's shoulder and gave a shake, calling, "Kurapika!" The blond head swayed but there was no response. _'What to do?' _He thought. Then, with the back of his hand, he hit across the boy's face. This time, the eyes blinked…once…then twice. "Snap out of it, boy. Get a grip," Kuroro demanded with authoritative tone.

Kurapika did as told, his eyes started to shift and look at Kuroro. "Ku…ro…ro." He called, his voice quivering. He had gone blank for a moment but now the images of the gruesome happening were coming back fresh to his mind. Eyes becoming a darker shade of red, Kurapika's body shook. Then his eyes strayed to the direction where they had escaped from.

"They won't step over the boundary of the dumping ground. It's going to be over soon anyways," Kuroro waited as the boy's eyes shifted back to him and continued, "You're safe now."

The boy's eyes lowered to his shaking hand, it just wouldn't stop shaking until a hand paler than his own pressed on it. Kurapika looked up to its owner. Then he opened his mouth, "They…they just started shooting people."

To Kuroro, the boy's eyes were those of conscious now. _'That's not too bad.' No, in fact_, Kuroro thought _that was remarkable_. After all that blood and gore, even grownups who were new to this carnage would have taken at least a day to recover from their shocked state. Kuroro had seen many of those, not to mention the people about them now. This boy came back to his feet…fast.

Probably…because this wasn't new to the boy. He had experienced this before, only that he had forgotten about it. The concern followed that fact. Kuroro had been concerned since he spotted the boy amidst the hunting ground. _'Would it jog the memory of his massacred clan?' _

"I…I can't do anything," Kurapika said through trembling lips, still struggling to get the words out.

That was to be expected of the boy. Somehow, Kurapika's statement was affecting Kuroro. His other hand tightened on the boy's shoulder as he stated in a flat tone, "There was nothing you could have done. It'd beyond any of us."

Something in Kuroro's words brought realization to Kurapika. Despite all the entangled and disarrayed thoughts and feelings, he had caught on to some underlying frustration behind Kuroro's detached facade. With a bit of thinking, it dawned on Kurapika that Kuroro must have shared the feelings he was having right now.

Kuroro was after all, a Ryuuseigai citizen long before him. He had contributed to the community and was respected by people for his deeds. For being _powerless _against this hunting must have been eating the man away. Kurapika realized he shouldn't have expected to deposit these heavy thoughts on Kuroro and appeal for the man to console him when the burden was already sitting on his shoulders.

Into the silence that followed, Kuroro watched the boy's eyes draw shut. The boy was trying to focus on this matter. He was taken by a mild surprise when the boy opened his eyes and they were green. He thought he'd have to work a bit more to get the boy's eyes back to their normal state, but this boy just saved him the trouble? _'That was unexpected.' _

"I'm sorry," Kurapika began as his eyes swept over the surrounding, taking in the sights of other injured people about them.

"For?" Kuroro asked, with a feeling this one wasn't for disobeying his order and went off too far as the hunting ground.

"This must have bothered you in more ways than one as well and I'm just throwing my baggage at you," Kurapika said, his expression shamed.

Taken aback, a stunned look passed on Kuorro's face before it smoothed back to his usual stoic one. The boy had caught onto him. How? And he thought neither his face or his voice would give away anything. Unless Kurapika was just good at reading people. Yet there was this fact that Kuroro was _not _anywhere near possible for an ordinary person to read.

All the more reasons that this boy was becoming more and more interesting.

He had to put that aside first. "If you're going to worry about me, you better worry about yourself."

Kurapika kept his eyes on Kuroro, nodding while digesting the man's words. Then he finally asked, "What was that all about? The man…among them…told me it's a manhunt. They want people who can fight?"

"I'll explain that on the way home. We need to tend to your wounds."

"Danchou!"

A gruff voice called out before Kuroro could answer Kurapika. Said Danchou turned, and Kurapika followed the source of the voice. Approaching them was a man that looked older than Kuroro. His face was rough with an unshaved beard and mustache. His black hair tied up into single topknot. He wore a bluish-violet yukata. The binding around his torso was attached with a katana.

Next to him, was Machi, her skin a bit burnt, her garments a shredded like Kurapika's. Yet her demeanor was as cold and casual as if she hadn't just been through something Kurapika called war.

_'She's safe.' _Kurapika couldn't be any more relieved than this. If something had happened to her because of him, he wouldn't have been able to face Kuroro.

Machi made a face at Kurapika's expression. She was a stranger to this feeling, one with someone not only giving a damn about her but going to that extent to save her.

"Nobunaga, Machi." Kuroro acknowledged them.

As the two sauntered closed enough, they raised an eyebrow at the sight they saw. Their Danchou's hand on the boy's. If their leader hadn't noticed their obvious astonishment, then he must have ignored it.

"How is your wound?" Kuroro addressed to Machi.

The young lady shook her head lightly, her face betrayed nothing. "Just a bit of collision but I'll be fine." A short pause followed before she dipped her head towards Kurapika, "How is he?"

Letting go of the shaking hand he'd been holding, Kuroro looked back at Kurapika who heard the question.

"I'll live," Kurapika gave a small smile as he regarded Machi. "Thank you, Machi-san. If you hadn't saved me, I would have been dead by now."

Machi made a face again. Even Kuroro and Nobunga were amused by it. It wasn't everyday someone, especially if they're not Genei Ryodan members, could shift her facial expression. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking sideways. "You stepped in to help me, now we're even." Then she uncrossed her arms and stared back at Kurapika, a frown etching deep upon her face. "But never _ever_ do that again. I could have escaped on my own even if you hadn't stepped in. Keep in mind that you just have to worry about yourself."

A brief look of disconsolate passed on Kurapika's face, yet he understood it well. Machi was Kuroro's comrade, and she, like Kuroro, was not ordinary. He had seen it with his own eyes. They were strong.

A loud content laugh broke in, pulling Kurapika out of his dejection. It was the man who now stifled his laughter while approaching him. Kurapika was so caught off guard when a hand came pressing down on his head that a soft yelp escaped him.

"You weren't bad yourself, kid! I heard the story from Ubo too. You've got spine." Nobunaga retracted his hand and tucked them into his sleeves upon seeing the look on his Danchou's face. His grin widened as he said, "I didn't like you at first, but now I have to think again."

Kuroro raised his eyebrow. He thought Nobunaga and Kurapika were going to be difficult like Ubogin and Kurapika. It looked like he was spared the trouble. "Kurapika, this is one of my comrades, Nobunaga."

"Umm, okay," Kurapika gave a rather small, unsure but polite smile to the man. He didn't have much to say in his current condition. Although he was developing a positive feeling towards this man. He saved Machi.

"I better tend to your wound," Kuroro said, seeing the boy slipping away. Then he addressed Machi, "You too, Machi."

"Yes, Danchou," Machi nodded, her face still showing nothing even with burnt skin here and there. "…Danchou, I didn't manage to get any materials nor…"

"No, forget about it," Kuroro cut her off. "Like the rules I've established, your life comes first. This manhunt time table was unpredictable. What's worse, they're getting more brutal. I don't want you near that area again, understood?

Kurapika watched as Machi seemed like she wanted to protest but swallowed it down. Whatever they were talking about, it looked like Machi was putting herself in danger to get something for Kuroro and Kuroro didn't want her to risk it.

"Understood, Danchou."

"Good, now go home and tend to your wounds," Kuroro repeated.

Without much further ado, Machi left. Nobunaga flanking by her side while waving with a wide grin on his face.

"Time for us to go. Can you stand?" Kuroro asked, knowing the boy couldn't but that he would try.

"Yes."

_As expected of the boy. _

Kurapika pushed himself up. His legs weren't that bad. But the problem was that his head that started to swim. He was caught before he so much as swayed and fell. Kuroro's back appeared in front of him as his legs were pulled forward by Kuroro's hand. Kurapika's arms ended up wound around Kuroro's neck.

"Eh?" He blurted out, surprised, _'Piggyback?'_

Kuroro paid no mind to the boy's astonishment. He came to his feet and started heading off. He felt the boy was looking left and right. Around them, people were scattered everywhere, some of them still screaming…must have been the new arrivals. He said to Kurapika in an authoritative tone, "Like I said, nothing you can do. Don't even think about it."

Having learnt his lesson, the boy conceded in silence. Until…

"I'm…sorry," Kurapika said against Kuroro's neck.

"Again? for what is it this time?" Kuroro asked as he continued on.

"For this burden." Kurapika answered and with a lower voice, went on, "and for making you look after me when you should probably be with Machi-san."

That had caught Kuroro's attention as he had to cut a glance to the boy. "Why would you think I should be with Machi?"

Kurapika lifted his head from Kuroro's neck, "Eh? Why not, she's your comrade. And…"

"And?" Kuroro coaxed. He had no idea what the kid was getting at.

"…aren't you two a…um…well…" Kurapika responded with uncertainty.

Now he knew what the boy had assumed _wrongly. He had to 'pfft' again. _Kids made funny remarks sometimes but he didn't expect he'd be entertained by it. "Why would you think that?"

"Eh? Hmm, not sure. It's just a feeling," Kurapika mumbled. "I shouldn't probably be saying this. But she's different when she talks to you."

Kuroro chuckled again. "Very observant of you. Don't say that in front of her though. She strongly dislikes people voicing her opinion." _This was going to be not as difficult as he had expected. He could see even Machi was warming up to the boy. Nobunaga as well. _Back on track, Kuroro clarified, "For your information…No, we're not. Machi just respects me as her leader."

"Eh? You're not?" Kurapika uttered, and didn't know why deep inside his heart he was relieved by that.

"We have talked a lot on phone lately because she insisted on searching in that dumping ground for the material we could use as weapon. And if the Mafia decided to visit, she wants to observe the airship's interior." Kuroro explained.

"She wants to go into the airship? Oh…" The boy's face fell. "And I-"

"Don't fret over it. I'd rather do that myself, or have someone tech-efficiency do it," Kuroro cut the boy of. Yet he was reminded that Geneir Ryodan needed an expertise in technology.

He nodded in response, then asked, "Weapon? For what?"

_"Revenge," _Kuroro replied, his voice laced with hidden anger. His face, unseen to Kurapika had darkened. "This manhunt has got to stop."

Kurapika could feel the suppressing rage from Kuroro and the atmosphere about him weighted down. It made him sink back a little but being carried by the man himself, it was the man that he sunk into. "You mean…fighting back, protecting your people?"

Kuroro cut a glance to the boy again. _'That coming from a boy who wanted to kill me when I massacred his clan?' _There was fear in Kurapika's eyes, and the boy was even shaking a little. Kuroro doubted. At this point he didn't think Kurapika would be anywhere near as jumpy as he'd been weeks ago, especially after all the stunts he'd been pulling.

His words weren't a threat directed to the boy. Either Kurapika didn't like the thought of revenge, which was possible given his loss of memories. Or…did Kurapika felt _something _from him?

"You might put it that way. But for me, revenge must be served. The mafia have been doing this since I can recall." Kuroro paused for a second, and continued, "I might as well explain the whole story now." He felt the boy perked up with interest. "As you know, Ryuuseigai, including its citizen, don't exist in this world. Therefore, the Mafia recruit the people here as their weapons to commit crime. Any idea why?"

The boy gave it a thought. He answered, "Who better than someone who does not exist?"

The right answer satisfied him, Kuroro nodded, "But they'll just finish us off once we're done with. A few people here might want to get out but a whole lot of us don't. Even feeding from garbage here is a better life than with the Mafia. When volunteers ran off, they began to hunt us. Our community's best bargain prohibited them from entering the capitol. We don't want to get woman and children involved. They are allowed only as far as the dumping ground. Of all the dumping grounds in Ryuuseigai, they'd likely come through the one of metal dumping. Most of us who want to build a weapon out of junk would be in that area, scavenging. Mafia knows people who search for weapon are capable of fighting. They'd come for manhunt roughly every three months. Never less than that time frame. Only this time they came again after their last visit last month."

Kuroro looked back at the boy again. Kurapika appeared to be engrossed by this history. "You never were exposed to Manhunt in your past three weeks prior to your lost memories and I wasn't expecting to educate you on it since I thought I'd just keep you away from it until the right time."

Absorbing the information, Kurapika nodded in silence. He didn't know what to say to that. Horrible? Brutal? Those words weren't enough to describe what he had just been through. Then one word escaped his lips, "Inhuman."

"Right, they are," Kuroro agreed. A part of him felt addressed by Kurapika's word but he was unfazed...unaffected.

It raised questions. But the one that he'd like to know the answer foremost was delivered, "How did you…find me?" The sudden look of anger formed on Kuroro's face made Kurapika's nerves jumped.

"Before I answer your question, answer mine," Kuroro said with impatience in his voice. "Why did you end up in that place? I _told_ you not to go far, haven't I?"

Knowing this would come and fearful of Kuroro's upsetting with his misbehavior, Kurapika curled against Kuroro's back. Yet he fought not to squirm and answered with honesty. "I…just saw Machi-san walked pass. I wasn't really thinking as I followed her. I thought talking to her might help me know more…about Ryuuseigai…about…_you_.." Then he told him the rest of the story.

Unseen to Kurapika, Kuroro's face twitched. Even though the boy had just gave a word that he would choose Kuroro over his past, he still went out of his way and disobeyed his order regarding this matter. _This boy would be difficult to keep under control. _

"I'm sorry…about that too," Kurapika whispered, voice quivering a bit. "Are…are you mad?"

It took Kuroro a while to give a slight shake of his head. His point followed, "I can't blame you, I myself haven't been educating you enough after all." Kuroro felt right from the contact that the boy was flushed with relief. He offered, "If you have questions, you may ask. I'll also introduce you to the rest of my comrades too. Just don't try to do risky things on your own. You are not strong enough yet. Stop bringing me trouble so you can stop apologizing."

Kuroro allowed a few seconds for the boy who began softly, "sor-" but realizing it, he shut himself up.

"Okay," Kurapika said, nodding against Kuroro's shoulder.

"Good. As for your question, when I was looking for you about the Town Hall, I heard the commotion. Somehow I've had a distinct feeling that you might have been there, given that you like to throw yourself into trouble." He bit. After his slight satisfaction that the boy stiffened a bit, he continued, "Machi and Nobu would have been there, I had to check on them too." Though Kuroro knew for certainty that those two would have been fine on their own. "Turned out that Nobu was late to his meeting with Machi, he was on the outer area of the commotion when I met him. We went in and found you by the time you and Machi were hit by a blast."

_Kuroro had a distinct feeling that he'd have been there? _For some reason, that had warmed Kurapika all over. When he had been among the hunting ground, he had hoped against hope that Kuroro would appear. For being abandoned by his parents yet he had Kuroro who always found him when he needed someone.

It made him feel connected.

The sun was setting behind a line of the pink-edged clouds. The late evening lights casted warm glow on both of them, leaving their long shadows trailing behind.

"Thank you for saving me," Kurapika said with closed eyes. "I could have died, I owe you my life."

The boy's words sent the queasiest sensation down Kuroro's spine. _Owe him his life? Said a kid who he had taken away everything and every lives of his clan? There was even a chance he'd have to kill the kid anytime soon should his memory resurfaced. _Even if he wanted to use the boy, this was not the way he wanted the boy to be.

This kid was overwhelming him with this too much sense of gratitude. In his life there were people who showed their appreciation of his doing, the Ryuuseigais, his comrades, but why was it that only Kurapika had this much effect to the point of overwhelming him? Kuroro found it strange he had no answer to that…yet.

"No, you don't." Kuroro rejected and came up with a reason, "You saved Machi, or at least you tried. And even if I weren't there, you might have made it out alive. You don't owe me for that."

"Eh? But-"

"No eh, no buts," Kuroro cut in. "Like I said before, just become stronger."

"For sure, I'll become your strength," Kurapika responded with enthusiasm. "I want to stop the manhunt too."

Seeing the burning determination in the boy's eyes, Kuroro was impressed. After all that he'd just been through so recently and the wounds still so fresh, the boy still wanted to fight. A smile tugged at his lips as he nodded in acknowledgement.

On their way back, among the woods that Kurapika had learned was Kuroro's territory with a forest surrounding his living quarters. Kurapika realized how the sky was clearer and brighter than the city. He kept his eyes skyward until they reached the living quarters.

The sky was truly blue from Kuroro's house.

Once inside their abode, first thing they did was emptying a bottle of water. Then Kuroro put the boy on the table and like what he had done before, tended to the boy's wounds. When Kurapika lifted his shirt, he looked much worse than the last time he was involved in a fight. Bruises and burns here and there, all over the pale skin. Nothing too fatal as Kuroro dabbed the alcohol over the boy's wounds, until his finger touched Kurapika's left side, the boy's face exhibited pain after the even face he'd been making for a while. Kuroro studied the bruise and noticed the boy stiffened.

"This wound wasn't from the blast," Kuroro pointed out and asked, "Did they physically hurt you?"

"Umm," Kurapika stumbled. He planned to keep this away from Kuroro. But he hated to lie when he was asked. Therefore, he told him the incident prior to the manhunt.

"I see," Kuroro responded to Kurapika's story with a straight face after he'd patched the bruises up. He wasn't surprised. As he observed the boy for the umpteenth time, with those oceanic green eyes like gem, blond hair, fair skin and small physique, this boy's look was strikingly remarkable. A jewel among this junkyard society, he would attract attention. So far the boy hadn't been approached because Kuroro kept him near him everytime they had to go through the risky areas.

"I'd say well done on the winning and making out alive unscathed…much. I'm glad our training paid off," Kuroro said as he applied the remedy to the burned wounds.

"You're not mad?" Kurapika looked up at him, gritting down his pain.

"No," Kuroro said. "I would have been mad if you hadn't managed to bring down those pedophiles." He made it sound like he'd disapprove of Kurapika's weakness. Truth was_… the thought of what those scums would do to Kurapika bothered him to the core._

Relieved by that but he still had something else to worry about, Kurapika's eyes cast down, his head hung low as he called out, "Kuroro."

"Hmm?" Kuroro raised an eyebrow, wondering why there was such a droopy gesture again.

"Do I…" the blond bit his lips. "Do I look like a girl?"

It took a certain amount of effort for Kuroro not to laugh. Then, looking at those worried eyes, he said, "If you asked me, the answer is no. But I can imagine people who don't take a good look at you can mistake you for being a girl." He watched on with contained amusement as the boy brightened up at first statement then went depressed again with a latter one. He added, "If it'd make you feel any better, I'd tell you that this had happened to me as well when I was at your age."

"Eh!?" Kurapika snapped his head up, looking at him in disbelief.

Wearing a faint smile, Kuroro continued while patching up Kurapika's burnt areas. "When I was your age, I'd been harassed too. Quite a few times." His expression was stoic yet his feelings weren't, as he saw every line on Kurapika's face fill with concern…for him. Enough to make Kuroro skip to the end, "Hey, don't give me that look. They had no chance against me." and again, the huge relief on Kurapika's face affected him in the way he couldn't put his finger on.

With a smile, Kurapika commented, "I see you have always been strong since young."

Kuroro nodded, "Anyhow, my point is that…they're just _sick _people. So don't let it get to you." As soon as he said that, his inner voice came up, _'Says a man who slaughtered Kurapika's entire clan to get their flame-colored eyes.' _In his defense, he'd say ending people's lives was much more acceptable than any kinds of sexual abuse. He might be a ruthless, cold bandit but he'd never do such a disgraceful thing.

"That…for me, is easier said than done," Kurapika admitted, one of the few times where he couldn't just nod and say okay.

"I know. It takes time," Kuroro found himself putting a hand on the boy's head again once he'd finished patching the boy up. Even though he couldn't recall the feelings that he had gotten over, he still remembered what it was like to be seen as nothing but a sexual object. _That memory had been a while._

The warmth from Kuroro's hand calmed Kurapika's nerves. Another worry settled in instead. "Do you think…Machi-san will be all right?"

Withdrawing his hand, Kuroro reassured, "I wouldn't have let her go on her own if she wouldn't be. Of course, she'll be alright. If your concern is for her feelings, then you need not. She can even detach her feelings better than me. Plus, my comrades are all strong, physically and mentally. During the hunting, I'm sure you've seen how strong she is?"

"Yes, she is," Kurapika said with amazement in his eyes. _Kuroro was strong in physical combatant, probably more that he had yet seen. Machi was quick and…_Then he recalled one thing about the violet haired lady that had been nagging him for a while. "Umm, there's this one thing, I'm just wondering."

"About Machi?" Kuroro raised his brow as he packed the stuff back into its first aid box and put it away. "Wait here, I'll go get a new shirt." He went, came back with a shirt, and beckoned the boy to continue.

With a nod and slight hesitation, Kurapika said, "When the men in the hunting ground were about to shoot me, their guns were steered away …by something that the men couldn't see. But when I looked," Kurapika paused, the uncertainty in his eyes intensified. "I saw…no…I guess I saw some kind of…threads? They were attached to Machi-san's hand." Kuroro's expression went from bland to stuned, yet he went on, "Later when I fell from the ledge too, I was caught by the thin threads which I believed were Machi's."

For a moment, Kuroro had the exact same expression as to when Kurapika had caught on his killing intent in his sleep. And upon that, Kurapika had to have the exact same reaction to it.

"Ah! I'm babbling nonsense again, aren't I?" Kurapika hurried to brush it off. "Maybe with all those things happening, I might have just been seeing things."

Saying nothing to that, Kuroro put his hands above his lips, thinking. It was essential he discussed this with Machi, regarding this_. _If Kurapika could see _it._ Yet, the seeing of thread pretty much confirmed that fact.

"Could be," Kuroro said half-heartedly, implying the boy ought to drop the subject. He'd figure that out later. Now he ought to find out if the manhunt, in any way, affected the boy's memory. After he helped the boy put on a clean shirt, he began, "Kurapika, aside from these physical wounds, is there anything else you want to tell me?" The avoidance of eye contact as the boy looked to the side, to Kuroro, meant there was _something. _With one hand placing on the table Kurapika was sitting on, Kuroro leant in, "Anything I should know?"

In the silence that followed, Kurapika settled his gaze back to Kuroro and nodded. With hesitation in his voice, he said, "There were flashes in my head again." An attentive nod from the man encouraged him to go on. "A village burnt to the ground, the hunting…the screams of terror."

Keeping his expression still, Kuroro coaxed, "Can you describe what you saw in detail?"

Kurapika closed his eyes in concentration as Kuroro waited out. A minute passed by, he shook his head and said, "I can't…at all. These flashes were very brief and I can't recall the vivid image of it like I did with the woman last time."

"So you don't have any clear visual image in your mind?" Kuroro asked. Upon receiving a nod, which he could tell was the truth, he pushed on, "What are your thoughts of your relation to it?"

Eyes cast down to his lap, Kurapika thought hard before answering, "I…I…don't…know. I'm not sure if I'm related to those flashes since they're not as vivid and leave me no trace of feelings like the one my mother-or whom I believe is my mother- did."

Moving his hand from the table to grip at Kurapika's shoulder, Kuroro asked, "Are you going to keep thinking about it?"

To Kurapika, it was an implication that Kuroro didn't want to hear any of his intention pursuing his lost memories. Then again, Kurapika himself had already decided, "No."

He might want to dig into his past at first, but his surviving from the carnage because of Kuroro now firmed his ground in the favor of forgetting about it. _When he thought he was about to die, nothing else had mattered except Kuroro._

"Good," Kuroro said, seeing the honestly in that answer. Slightest bit of relief filled over him. The manhunt did jog the boy's brief memory but it didn't seem to retain the image in the boy's mind, which was very fortunate. Had the boy recalled what his village or his people look like, even the slightest detail, like what they wore, would have become a piece of the puzzle, Kurapika might be able to put them back together.

_'I see, his mind still won't accept the bad memories,' _Kuroro observed. He was still aware though, after having done his research, this kind of repressed memory could become very _dangerous_. But one look at the boy who looked back at him with those eyes, his doubt about keeping the boy disappeared.

They'd come this far, why not carry on? It wasn't like this kid stand a chance against him _if _he wanted to turn around and bite him.

He gave the boy a small smile and noted, "You should be fine with a few weeks rest, no training until I say so," a slight disappointed look flitted across Kurapika's face but the boy accepted nevertheless.

For having learnt his lesson not to push it and not getting too cocky after one win in real combat, Kuroro rewarded the boy with another stroke of hair. To which the boy seemed leant in towards him even more.

"I'll introduce you to my comrades in a day or two. After the rest, if you have any questions, ask." Kuroro's eyebrows raised as the kid perked up. The eyes widened with contained eagerness as if a boy had gotten a new toy.

"Can I ask one question now?" Kurapika ventured with anticipation.

"Okay?" Kuroro said. He hadn't expected that. "One question. Anymore than that has to wait after you go get rest."

Nodding and anticipating a little, Kurapika finally asked the one question that had been on his mind for a while, "What's the story behind that tattoo on your forehead?"

Since when Kuroro had caught him from the fall. The overwhelming relief of Kuroro's presence washed him like wave. And the first glimpse of Kuroro through that blinding smoke had been his tattoo. The relation was etched in Kurapika's mind. He wanted to know more about it.

Of all the questions he could have asked first, this bland question was least expected. His answer, however, wasn't as simple as the question itself. But he had to keep his word.

"Okay, first off, it's not a tattoo. It's a birthmark." His eyes glanced upward in reminiscence. "I'd had it since I could remember. For me it doesn't mean anything special, and for the story behind it-" Kuroro paused, feeling a bit of doubt as to why he would be telling this to the boy when he had never told anyone else before. Aside from his comrades that he wouldn't mind sharing this story, yet they respected him enough not to pry into his affairs. Kurapika would never hold it against him should he not answer.

One look at Kurapika's anticipating eyes, he responded, "I was an outcast in a place far from here. But that's a far away past to me. I don't remember much about my previous life before I ended up in Ryuuseigai."

"Were you not born here?" Kurapika wondered aloud. His face set into a worried frown about that _outcast _part.

Kuroro gave an indifferent shrug. "Could be. What I remember is being somewhere else when I was about six. My memory is distinct at the age of nine, being here. Probably my memory is just too short." Last statement came out through a mocking chuckle to himself.

If Kurapika hadn't asked him, he wouldn't have realized his memories throughout his childhood life were not with him. He had never looked back beyond that point that everything was unclear. He didn't relate himself to a loss of memory because he _simply _couldn't care less.

Small hand reached out to him and it tugged at the hem of his shirt, pulling at it. Kuroro understood that Kurapika wanted him to lower himself down a little. Out of curiosity of what the boy would do, he did so. He was caught off guard when a hand touched his forehead.

The boy looked crestfallen but remained silent. Kuroro's face twitched when it dawned on him that the boy was most likely consoling him. It wasn't long until Kuroro started to relax under the boy's gentle touch and even closed his eyes to feel the moment.

Then a part of him was aware that he had just accepted the human contact from the boy when he had detached himself from everyone else.

Kurapika's touch had stirred that dead part of his humanity, or whatever that was left.

Kuroro opened his eyes and caught the small hand in his own. He steered it away and straightened himself up right. In detached tone, he suggested, "You better get rest now."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

By the doorway of their room, Kuroro watched Kurapika asleep. His hand absentmindedly touched his own forehead. He hadn't expected that blatant physical contact from a polite boy like Kurapika, even if it was for a good reason.

After all that had happened to him, Kurapika still had the heart to give him solace. _How did he come by that when he had no memories, and especially if he were under Kuroro's ordinance now? Was it born in him or instilled by his family? _

Whatever it was, Kuroro was almost moved by it. _Almost._

He'd seen many men came a cropper in the end because of the attachment he developed for someone during a plan. He refused to be one of such stupid folks.

The boy was attached to him. Certainly _not _likewise.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dusk had faded to full night.

Of the abandoned warehouse that used to be a textile industry was Machi's abode. In the used-to-be reception area sat Kuroro, Pakunoda, Nobunaga and Machi.

A surprise look passed on Pakunoda and Machi's face while Nobunaga had a gleeful smile of excitement upon hearing their Danchou's side of story.

"He did see it!?" the top-knotched man asked for certainty.

Kuroro nodded, "He felt my killing intent once, even in his sleep as well."

Nobunaga's grin went even wider. "He did!? That's a surprise given that he's only thirteen."

"I'm sorry, Danchou. I shouldn't have done that," Machi said.

"It's fine. You couldn't have saved him any other fashion. And I owe you for that," Kuroro addressed to Machi and returned his attention to the whole group, "It's good to know that Kurapika hold even more potential at such young age." Kuroro had his hands over his mouth, eyes narrowing in speculation. "Though it raised a question as to why he never said anything when he walks in on my own training at times."

Silence filled in as the three of them contemplated about this. Until a certain matter came to back to Machi.

"Ah." She articulated with a straight face, lifting one finger. "One thing, Danchou. His eyes were in scarlet state, at the times I used my threads." When Kuroro looked at her, she recounted, "From time to time, his eyes shifted back to their normal state which I believe was when he tried to calm himself and get a hold of a situation."

"That..."Kuroro said, "-would make a lot of sense." So far Kurapika had walked in on him practicing while his eyes were in normal state. When the boy felt his killing intent, there was this thing about his eyes too.

"But…back there at Rukuso, their strength hadn't changed _that _much even when their eyes turned scarlet, had they?" Pakunoda raised up. She interrogated their mental files. And the whole Spiders had fought them, they knew.

"So it's only Kurapika," Kuroro mused. This was beyond his expectation. There was a hidden power that laid beneath those eyes, and a strong one at that. He wanted to know more about this…about the Kuruta boy named Kurapika. He stood, his face never drifted out of a speculation frown.

"Danchou?" Pakunoda called out.

Said Danchou regarded his comrades, "I'll find out for certainty…if Kurapika can use _nen._"

Tbc…

**Note: **About Nobunaga. Hmm, it might seem like a glitch here (or exactly is one). Because I used to hate him and Ubo so much. Probably some of you could tell by my previous writing, TSASAN. 3 years after that (now), I watched 2011 version, plus the change in thoughts that comes with age (LOL), I no longer hate them. They have their good sides that I turned a blind eyes on back then ^^" but most importantly, I'll try to keep everyone in character.

Kuroro and Machi? Well I used to think that when I haven't been turned (into a fangirl). They look good together, don't they? But I wouldn't think of that now since no one looks good with Kuroro than Kurapika XD

Kuroro as a kid being molested? I couldn't resist that idea. It came when I was watching HxH2011 with young Kuroro running and laughing and the sound he made, so shonen and super MOE!


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